Southeast: Group calls out Otti over Patience Jonathan’s comment on Abia environment

By Cephas Chijindu Cephas

The New Abia Movement (NAM), a southeast socio-political organization, on Saturday, called out the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, over the recent outbursts of a former Nigerian first lady, Patience Jonathan on governance in the state

Our correspondent earlier reported that Mrs Jonathan was quoted as saying
Abia State environment is no longer as smelly as it was in the past.

She also asserted that the stench that occupied the streets of the state had been cleared by the new governor.

Earlier, the New Abia Movement, while baring its minds on Saturday, against the backdrop, berated the latest penchants for political jamborees by Otti, accusing him of seeking political endorsement of his maladministration of the state from wives of past political leaders, as recently displayed by the governor’s recent visit to the wife of former Governor of old Imo state, late Samuel Mbakwe and the hosting of the former Nigerian President, Patience Jonathan last week.

The Abia organisation which its membership cuts across the seventeen local government areas in the state, spoke through a press statement signed the convener, Evangelist Henry Onyike-Isiguzo, and the Public Relation Officer, Barrister Ebere Nwokolo, respectively.

The organization maintained the recent jamborees embarked by Governor Alex Otti has no direct positive impacts on the collective efforts of critical stakeholders from the state to engender an economically and infrastructuraly stable, whereby every Abia citizens will have access to impactful completed government’s amenities and projects in every Abia areas.

According to the ethnic-nationality group, “The former first lady that the last time Abians heard such praises from her was in 2014, during the “locust days” of former Governor Theodore Orji’s infamous regime in the state,

“We’re yet to see the magic wands of Governor Alex Otti. The discriminating sack of workers by a Labour party Governor is shocking and contradictory to the tents and principles of labour unions”, It insisted.

While also expressing concerns on the deteriorating condition of members of the state workforce and the larger populaces within the Abia cities and rural areas, the Abia New Movement decried the rising insecurities associated with bandits and unknown gunmen in some areas in Abia and further attributed the ugly developments to lack of demonstration of capacity by current Abia government led Governor Alex Otti and the labour party.

According to the organization, “Most of the celebrated roads are the signature projects of the last regime which was asphalted without the use of Cement Technology. We ask Governor Alex Chioma Otti, “where is Julius Berger Company he earlier promised to Abia electorates during the concluded 2023 election campaigns and rallies held across Abia? Otti said he would invite reputable international construction firm to carry out huge reconstruction and rehabilitation works on our dilapidated road infrastructure across the state on assumption of office. And till this moment, we must state categorically clear at this particular juncture without of fear of contradiction and favour, no Bulldozer caterpillar vehicles has been seen or sited executing one project or the other. Nothing tangible the present administration has achieved in last one hundred days in office after her inauguration in May this year.

“Abia state started smelling since Otti takes over as governor. Citizens are sufferring and perishing under this current state government controlled by the labour party. They face hese challenges because of lack of directions in formulation and implementation of policies for Abia’s socio-economic and infrastructural developments.

“So, we urge the governor to concentrate on his work and stop campaigning. Elections had come and gone, and Abia people expect you to focus and work in delivering democratic dividends to their various doorsteps, more especially, improving the Infrastructural deficits adorning in most parts of Abia state”.