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Abia lost in race for greatness, a victim of visionless leadership – Otti
The Labour Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate in Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, says the state has been a victim in the hands of visionless leaders, who have failed to treat the welfare of citizens as priority.
Otti said well-aware of the myriad of problems Nigeria has had to contend with, some states of the federation have made deliberate and conscious effort to elect leaders with vision to steer them towards economic prosperity and development.
The frontline governorship candidate in the 2023 election bore his mind in a message of hope he delivered to Abia people on the occasion of Nigeria’s 62nd Independence celebration on October 1, 2022.
In a statement signed on his behalf by his media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, titled, ‘Abia is Down but Not Out’ Otti, a renowned economist said “Abia has failed woefully and remains on a steady decline by all standards of development”, no matter the angle and yardstick used to measure her performances and development.
He said: “From unacceptably low standard of living to unemployment; from rising poverty rate to non-payment of salaries and pensions, and from collapse in infrastructure to unjustifiable and frightening debt profile, one could see that we are definitely not getting it right.
“These challenges might appear like nothing to the uninformed and unconcerned, managing the affairs of our dear state, but they actually represent a monumental disaster capable of truncating our future plans and prosperity as a state.”
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Otti, a celebrated former bank chief executive officer, who took the erstwhile Diamond Bank, now Access Bank, from a loss-making position to one of Nigeria’s five systemic important banks, within a period of three years, said it is sad that after receiving close to a trillion Naira from Federation Account, Abia does not have anything meaningful in terms of development to show.
“After receiving up to a trillion Naira in revenue and getting our debt profile rise up to N190 billion, we cannot pay workers and pensioners let alone establish a cottage industry of any kind. These are very sad and provocative realities that should neither be ignored nor trivialised.
“As we celebrate our 62nd independence anniversary as a nation amidst these challenges, one does not need to be reminded that Abia is like endangered species, hence the need for us to show the kind of democratic anger and aggression required to reclaim our state and save our people from the PDP-induced doom that looms in Abia.
“As I felicitate and celebrate with Abians and friends of Abia all over the world on this day, I’m very much aware that Abia is down and highly endangered, however, we have the capacity, courage, contacts and above all, passion to lift it from the doldrums and place it on a pedestal of excellence.
“I therefore enjoin you all to consider the election of Mr. Peter Obi as a matter of emergency to save and salvage Nigeria, while I call on Abians and friends of Abia all over the world to support Alex Otti and Labour Party to reclaim Abia and build a world class viable and prosperous state that would meet the standard of a decent home for all,” the statement stated.
