From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
Chief Christian Okeri, one time political adviser to Abia governor and four terms Council boss, has commended Gov Alex Otti, for coming prepared to restart repositioning Abia and called on good spirited individuals and groups to assist in realizing his lofty dreams.
You were a frontline member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Abia. In fact, you held sway as leader in your Isiala Ngwa South area; can you sincerely, look at the Alex Otti administration, and what it has been able to achieve in nine months?
In all sincerity, as you have put it, people are happy with the administrative style of Dr Alex Otti because of the level of democracy dividends it has brought within a short period in office. To me, he has in nine months, done what each of his predecessors could not do in their 8 years (2 terms) tenure running into 24 years. Go to Aba, Omuma road, Ama Ogbonna, Azikiwe road, everybody is happy. Aba is now busy. That is what government is all about. Dr Alex Otti, has repositioned himself as a father to all Abians, feeling their pains and worries and making his presence felt in all nooks and crannies of the society for good. We are not discussing political party affiliation now. You know that there is a limit to the level to which any society can endure suffering. We ought to this time, stop being pretentious and see things the way they are. Let’s call a spade, spade. Otti, has performed well, creditably. I am personally proud of him, though I am not a member of his party. We must at this point keep party issues by the side and face reality. He has charisma, integrity and will, which is the best thing to come to Abia this time, to have a man with conscience to lead the state. His performance in infrastructural development is so visible that even his enemies are saying he has done well.
One may be surprised at your comment in view of the fact that you were part of the governing team before Otti emerged as Abia helmsman?
I agree with you but one major finding was that for a whooping 24 years, those that were saddled with governance, to my reckoning and that of the larger society, lacked focus. They were just ruling and did not come to terms on what the state and its people needed. It was like wandering in the wilderness without direction. Yes, I participated at the level of office I occupied first as a transition Council chairman and personally did well. If one goes to Isiala Ngwa South, the records are there about my achievements. Though I didn’t stay long initially, the successes I recorded are still visible for one to see. I still remain truthful maintaining that the 24 years of PDP governance of the state was wasteful because the new administration is restarting every aspect of development afresh despite having taken over from predecessors in office that were telling us that they were right on course to uplift the state to higher levels.
Let’s look at important issues like payment of salaries to workers of the government. The present administration started from the scratch. What of infrastructure? We are all witnesses of what is happening. Workers salaries are now paid regularly on the 28th of every month. My wife is a civil servant and she tells me whenever they receive their salary. I am not a civil servant but those that are tell you that they are now happy because they get paid as at when due. If one is regularly paid, and on an appointed date, he or she can enter into any business venture that allows credit facilities. The person will be sure to always know the next available date to make payments and not default. Otti, is gradually fulfilling all the electioneering promises he made to Abians. I’ve known him beyond 10 years and he has been consistent in his dealings in governing Abia. The people are happy with the wind of change sweeping all over the place.
At the heat of campaigns for the governorship seat, there was a kind of ethnic smear campaign against him on his actual origin, especially with the PDP candidate coming also from Isiala Ngwa. People were being urged not to vote for him, but now, there are shouts of Otti, Otti,everywhere. Why the sudden change? Is it actually for real, one may ask or part of the politics in our land?
Okay! That’s a very nice question. The political gladiators that had engaged in that smear campaign then, now have no choice than to succumb to popular demand. They have to return to embrace the truth, that the governor is one of their own. Like I said earlier, no one throws away the truth because he or she does not like its posture. No matter how we look at it, Otti is one of us. Let me tell you, when a man goes out to rob and succeeds, he will not be foolish to leave the proceeds of his robbery with another robber, rather he will keep it where it will not get lost, with an honest person or institution for safety. The people have become fed up that they didn’t want people that will continue to destroy their destiny. They are very much aware that Dr Alex Otti, is an honest person and would safeguard their common interests. I said earlier that he has integrity, and had shown preparedness to be relied on. That’s why everyone is now clamouring to be identified with the present state of affairs in Abia, moving forward. They have no other choice. So, the things they were saying… Alex Otti, Alex Otti. Alex Otti, is from Isiala Ngwa South. He had won the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections as the candidate of the APGA but was robbed of victory. Those involved in depriving him of that are now coming out to confess. The election results were doctored and rewritten by evil people. Now, they have seen the truth as the masses resisted them in 2023. The then ruling PDP was boasting that it was doing well, lifting Abia to greatness and I asked: if the dwarf yellow millipede was as beautiful as it claimed, why was it not used as food by the fowl? Abians rejected them due to their directionless governance. With the posture of his developmental thrusts presently, anyone coming out to challenge the governor in the next election, may not succeed. I’m not a member of his party, LP, but had been with him in APGA, then and voluntarily following his programmes due to his achievements so far. I want the best for our people, Isiala Ngwa and the entire state. That’s our dream for now not playing politics in everything.
Opposition political parties in the state like the PDP and APC, are criticizing his policies, and in certain areas, accusing his administration of witch-hunt and reprimanding their members that talk good of what he is doing. What do you say to that?
That’s another very good question. You see, it’s always difficult to change people that have for long used a system to manipulate the society, from managing their affairs. That is what is happening at the moment. In the past, a few individuals, with their cronies sat on the commonwealth of Abians with impunity, converting public property including buildings, land in choice locations in major cities into private belongings. Many of our friends that tried to challenge them then, were either silenced or thrown into unwarranted torture. I hope the current government will recover all those properties that were diverted and seized by individuals. While I served the government, I and other well meaning appointees could not get our suggestions and recommendations accepted. We were mere toothless, sitting lame as ‘advisers’. That’s why I resigned my appointment as political adviser because there was no need claiming to be part of government that didn’t need you. I left and joined APGA, not because I needed appointment rather, there was focus on what it wanted to do if given the mandate to govern Abia.
Gov Otti, during a reception by the Isiala Ngwa South people, promised to open up rural roads and even said two major highways would be build to connect Mgboko on the new Aba/Umuahia road (Ururuka road) through to the Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway, on to the border with Imo State. Some people have questioned why saying such roads were wasteful in view of number of expected users…?
(Cut’s in.) Is Isiala Ngwa not part of the state? Is it not Abia? Sometime ago, the governor promised to build a set sea port in Ukwa West Council Area. Also, he announced plans to build specific projects in other Council Areas like Arochukwu, Ohafia, Umunneochi, Ikwuano, as well as the massive construction developments going on in Aba. They are all in Abia and come from a man with a vision and focus. Dr Alex Otti, is the governor of the entire Abia State and all segments of the society ought to be his constituency and he is not relenting. He is not discriminating like some of his predecessors in office, during their tenures. The new road being planned for Isiala Ngwa, will not only be used by people from the area. Others from outside the state will also benefit from it. The man is everywhere. Go to Arochukwu, you’ll see the presence of government there. You go to Ukwa, to Umunneochi, Isuikwuato, Ikwuano, you’ll see that the man is everywhere. He got himself prepared before coming into canvas for the seat of governance. His predecessors misused the opportunity God gave them to lead Abia.
You were chairman of Isiala Ngwa South Council at a time, what will you say you did to assist your constituents, especially the youths to check criminal activities in the area?
When I was chairman, I discovered that many youths especially in Aba axis of the state has no serious Jobs and therefore exposed to criminal activities. So, I approached the then governor, Chief TA Orji, whose administration granted me a waiver to create employments for our youths. That was when kidnappings were rife in the land. We employed over 1,000 male and female youths in the Council, into various fields of endeavors including agriculture, artisanship, health services, among others. This helped in no small measure in reducing crime rate in Isiala Ngwa South, including kidnapping, armed robbery, etc. We provided opportunities for direct and indirect employment for many youths then and they and their parents and relations, are still thanking us for that assistance till date.
You contested for the chairmanship position under APGA, in your Council Area, during the Okezie Ikpeazu administration. Though you won the election conducted by the state electoral commission (ABSIEC), you were not sworn in as Chairman, even after the tribunals declared you duly elected, why?
The powers that be, that is the PDP led government, did not want anyone from outside the party to be part of governance. They were surprised when, despite all treacheries and denials, we were able to win but another candidate was declared and got sworn in as chairman. We went to the tribunal and obtained justice but the governor and his party refused to obey the order of the court, and continued to flout the ruling till the end. Their emissaries were later to come apologizing and asking to bankroll the money I spent in the exercise which I rejected.
In view of your popularity within your constituents, what advise can you give for them to continue to live as good citizens, lead fruitful lives devoid of questionable tendencies?
On the present hardships in the country, I advise our people especially the youths to go back to agriculture and artisanship. Agriculture is our main occupation. We should not fold our hands to wait for food to drop down from heaven. Youths should get involved in farming. Every struggle in life is about survival and it’s end is for the society to be able to feed it’s people. Plant in every available land in your neighborhood. It will yield food for feeding and to be sold to solve other problems. Abians should support the Alex Otti administration, by maintaining peace and ensuring that they carry out their civic responsibilities.