From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Governor-elect of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has denied inviting former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon to Abia for a prayer programme that will kick-start his inauguration on May 29.
This is even as Otti has announced the appointment of some prominent Abians as members of the Inauguration Committee for his swearing-in on May 29.
Those against Gowon’s coming to Abia cited the 1966 coup, in which the first military head of state, General Thomas Aguiyi Ironsi was killed and the put the blame on the door steps of the former.
In a statement by Ferdinand Ekeoma, Otti accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of being behind the rumour making the rounds that he invited Gowon to Abia.
The statement said the aim of the PDP government in Abia in propagating the rumour was to incite hate, violence, and terrorism against Otti and the citizens of Abia, as payback for their defeat at the polls.
The governor has also constituted a 75-member inauguration committee to organise his inauguration on May 29. The list has the Director-General of Alex Otti Campaign Council, Chief Obioma Acho, as Coordinator.
Uko said the committee, which was formally inaugurated on Friday in Otti’s country home in Nvosi, Isialangwa South Local Government Area, had eight sub-committees.
The sub-committees include Finance, Programme, Venue, Logistics, Protocol, Security, Entertainment as well as Media and Publicity.
The governor and his deputy would be inaugurated at the Umuahia Township Stadium, to be followed by a reception at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Ogurube Layout, Umuahia.
He said the event would be rounded off with Jumaat and Interdenominational Church services at ICC on dates to be announced later.
The governor-elect urged the committee members to justify the confidence reposed in them by organising hitch-free, peaceful and befitting events.
Otti had on April 14 inaugurated a 100-member Transition Council to fashion out a roadmap for his administration’s development agenda for the state.