The Governor-Elect of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has promised to run an all-inclusive government in the state and serve the people wholeheartedly.
Dr Otti stated this in his acceptance speech shortly after being declared the winner of the Abia State Gubernatorial Election held on the 18th of March.
READ ALSO: Alex Otti wins Abia State Gubernatorial election
“I promised you that I will serve you as the Governor of all Abians and all citizens living in Abia, irrespective of clan, religious persuasion or political leaning. I see my mandate as cutting across all strata of our people and I once more promise to use the resources accruing to all Abians for the benefit of all Abians and the residents,” he declared.
He also used the opportunity to thank the people of the State for voting for him and accepted their mandate to be their chief servant for the next 4 years.
“You voted us to serve you and not to be served. You voted us to alleviate your sufferings and not to compound and multiply them. This is a service that comes with an unusually high sense of devotion and commitment given our checkered history as a people.
“During my electioneering campaign, I traversed all nooks and crannies of Abia state, and that enabled me to have a first-hand assessment of the needs and expectations of Abians. These are the basic things expected by the people for a responsible government to provide to unleash the potential inherent in the typically hardworking Abians,” Dr Otti explained.
Collective Good
The Governor-Elect seized the opportunity to call on all his opponents in the just concluded election to join hands and work for the collective good of the State.
#NigeriaDecides2023 #Gubernatorialelections2023 #StateAssemblypolls2023
INEC declares Labour Party’s Alex Otti winner of the 2023 Guber Elections in Abia state. He had contested the governorship seat 3 times: first in 2015, then in 2019; and now in 2023. pic.twitter.com/cRmE9bceZD— Voice of Nigeria (@voiceofnigeria) March 22, 2023
“I would like to quickly compliment my colleagues in the just-concluded elections, Chief Sir Okechukwu Ahiwe, Engr Enyinnaya Nwafor, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, Prof Gregory Ibe, and a host of other equally qualified governorship candidates”.
“It has been a hard-fought contest and each of you gave his or her best in the quest to serve our beloved State. There is no doubt that all of us have very robust ideas as to how to move our dear State forward. I want to assure you that your ideas and dreams that are consistent with building a virile Abia state shall come to fruition under my watch.”
“I, therefore, invite all of you to join hands with our administration in order to serve Abians who have been victims of several years of maladministration and state capture. I have no doubt that you will be available to use the same energy and intellect, to help rebuild our state and develop our people,” he appealed.
Call to Service
Dr Otti who described his victory as a call to service noted that the victory is the beginning of the journey ahead.
“There is a lot of work to be done and we must get all hands on deck to ensure that we take back our state and bring the much sought-after dividends of democracy”.
“This will be a government that would unite everyone in this state as we are all brothers and sisters,” he stated.
He also promised to prioritise infrastructure and create an immediate payment plan for all civil servants and pensioners owed salaries, pensions and emoluments.
“I am very much aware and prepared to deal with the issues of infrastructural decay which have continued to militate against our growth and development as a state. This will be tackled head-on. There is no doubt that given the deplorable state of our infrastructure, roads, schools and health systems, Abians are deservedly impatient to have these issues addressed as quickly as possible. I assure you that these areas will receive the priority attention of our government”.
“Nevertheless, I caution that we all will need to put in our best and row together in one direction. There is no magic wand that can fix all the rot and decay noticed in virtually all segments of the system since the past years. For us to have sustainable development, it would require a very painstaking and elaborate layout of master plans to enable us to tackle the menace of flooding and re-engineer our cities especially Aba, Umuahia and other cities that would be developed in order to support our urban renewal projects.
“We, therefore, plead for patience and understanding as we first tackle the immediate challenges and work on the major ones. The approach of our government will revolve around crafting policies that will enable our government tap the creative energies of every Abian. We remain resolute in our drive to eliminate poverty and create sustainable wealth for our people,” he said.
He finally assured the people of the State that his administration would run an open, transparent and accountable government devoid of waste and profligacy.
“Our doors will remain wide open and our channels of communication will remain unfettered so that your worthy contributions and suggestions will be a guiding light as we together navigate the thorny paths of rebuilding the state and transforming same for the benefit of all” he concluded.
