Group kicks against Otti’s Mayor appointment proposal

By Peter Anosike

The Convener of Ihe Abia, Dr Emeka Okpara, has kicked against the proposed appointment of mayors as local government administrators by the governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti.

Speaking with newsmen during an interactive session, he said that Dr Otti has sidelined the middle-class politicians who worked for him as foot soldiers during the campaigns and election and settled for the bigwigs who sat in the comfort of their homes during the campaigns and elections.

He said that he watched the video clip where the governor was addressing a group of people and told them that he was going to appoint accomplished business billionaires and retired generals as mayors, which in his understanding means Transition Council Chairmen for the 17 local government areas of Abia State.

According to him, while the move might look pleasant to some individuals, he saw so many things wrong with that decision, adding that he is using the medium to appeal to Governor Otti to perish the thought unless he wants to destroy the local government system in the state.

Okpara said that there was more to this novelty as the governor was surreptitiously trying to ambush, cage and cripple those that would challenge him in 2027 and advised the potential mayors to be wary of this Greek offer, which he claimed is meant to demystify and rubbish them before the next governorship election

According to him, Governor Otti should  not depart from the ideologies and philosophy of the Labour Party, which is to protect the interests of the masses, advising him to be mindful of the fact that being the only governor from the stable of the Labour Party, all eyes are on him to see how he would govern with the philosophy and principles associated with the party.