The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State’s leadership has assessed the administration led by Governor Alex Otti’s decisions so far.
When the governor should have preached peace and reconciliation among all Abia citizens, the party argued that Otti’s decisions so far reeked of animosity, revenge, and mistakes.
In a statement released on Friday, Hon. Amah Abraham, the party’s acting state publicity secretary and state vice chairman, made this claim on behalf of the Abia chapter of the PDP.
According to him, the Abia governor’s initial appointments were biased in favor of a specific region of the state.
“Choosing positions that undermine our unity is, at best, a source of division and would not foster the camaraderie required to advance the state.
The party continued, “The errors he has made expose him as incompetent, lending credence to the point we made during the campaigns that there is a significant difference between running a small financial institution and running a large public corporation like Abia state.
The task force on collecting vehicle levies on Abia was terminated by Governor Otti, who was criticized by the party for doing so without first providing a replacement for those who make a respectable living from that industry.
The state governor’s executive action to dissolve the statutory boards in Abia in violation of existing laws was also regretted, and it was characterized as illegal, haughty, and offensive.
“As if that weren’t enough, he instructed the chairmen of all the boards that had been forcibly disbanded to hand over to the most senior officers on the board, but in the case of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), he went against what he had said by imposing a different officer than the most senior. Which kind of a levy is that? PDP for the State questioned.
When Professor Hagler Okorie was recently replaced as rector of the state-owned Polytechnic in Aba by his deputy, Mrs. Chidinma Martha Ndukwe, the state governor came under fire from the main opposition party.
It stated, in part, “We begin to wonder the reason for his removal because he has shown capacity as a good manager in the last few months of administering Abia Polytechnic. Hagler Okorie, a renowned professor of law, was just appointed and confirmed in march 2023 by the immediately past Governor of Abia state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.
The Abia PDP went on to say: “We are concerned that Abians will be taken for a ride by an emperor rather than a governor if what we believe to be true—that he is making good on his threat not to touch anything used by the former Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu—is true.
“The best thing Governor Alex Otti can do to advance Abia is to get rid of the excessive and pervasive animosity he harbors toward the PDP and those who did not support him. He became the father of all Abians on the day he took the oath of office as governor of Abia State.
We anticipate him to act in accordance with the highest standards of good governance and refrain from acting in an intolerant manner. I regret to say that many people perceive him in that way. Everyone in Abia has a right to fair and equal treatment because it belongs to us all.
