From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), representing Aba South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, and Sir Marc Wabara, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have eulogised Governor Alex Otti for his developmental strides in Abia State.
Senator Abaribe said, going by what Governor Otti has done in less than two years in office, he saw no stumbling block to the Governor’s second term.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the Governor, Senator Abaribe said, “Even though my party is APGA and his party is Labour, we feel that we have gone beyond party, and we are now at the point of governance. So, I came to encourage him, he’s done so well and we wanted to make sure that we continue to inspire him to do much more for the people of Abia.
“Let me say this, I come from Aba; he has done tremendously well in infrastructure, the whole infrastructure in Aba. I have driven around, I have seen everything. All I want to do is to continue to encourage him to continue in the path that he has chosen. We also agreed that we are going to come around to commission some of the projects that he has done in and around my Senatorial Zone.
“I think second tenure is still very far away but I do not see any stumbling block on the way if we go by what he has done at this point,” the Senator said.
Abaribe said they discussed matters concerning the South East, including President Bola Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms, which he said he will relate to his colleagues when he gets back to Abuja to see how it will help the South East.
He commended President Tinubu for promising to do the rail lines and other infrastructure within the South East during his visit to Enugu State over the weekend to commission projects.
On the release of Nnamdi Kanu, Abaribe, describing President Tinubu as a listening leader, expressed hope that he will give heed to the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation and others advising and appealing for Kanu’s release.
On the tax reform bill, Abaribe said, “We have a position in the South East that we will have to continue to negotiate and debate and that we do not want it to be passed in a hurry because it is something that will affect future generations.
“The President wants to pass a tax bill that has to do with production. You cannot tax people who don’t produce. So he needs Nnamdi Kanu out so that all those things that are holding us down in the South East, that have made us not to produce as much as we ought to produce, will not be there.
“So, we continue to call on President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu and we are ready and willing to be guarantors for him to be released so that we can have life coming back into the South East and take it away from the criminals, kidnappers, the cultists and dangerous elements that are floating around us who have made it a point that they would perpetrate violence, do criminal activities and use Nnamdi Kanu’s name as their reason,” Senator Abaribe stated.
Senator Abaribe questioned why people would be killing those they claim to be agitating on their behalf, stressing that it is not the proper way to agitate.
Commending Otti also, the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the defunct Hallmark Bank and Chieftain of APC, Wabara eulogised the Governor for his visible achievements in the State, saying that Abians and Nigerians are very impressed with his performance so far.
Wabara, who visited Otti separately, said his relationship with the Governor predates politics as they have known each other since their days in the banking industry.
The APC chieftain said although Governor Otti’s focus for now was finishing his first term and he will not want to talk about a second term, his achievements are already speaking for him, and he is confident that the people will support him for a second term.
“Even if you are to ask His Excellency about a second term, he will say that, for now, he wants to finish his first term. Like I said, his job so far speaks for itself and I have no doubt that for the second term people will support him,” Wabara stated.