By Foster Obi
Except God changes his mind overnight, Dr Alex Otti, the Labour Party governorship candidate for Abia state is the next governor of the state and will be crowned same after Saturday March 11, election. But like the bible pointed out, “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,” so we don’t expect God to change his mind last minute.
Dr Otti, a first class economist, banker, investor, philanthropist, etal had paid his dues for this assignment. Besides, the former GMD of Diamond Bank has received huge endorsements and support from notable individuals and structures across the state because of his perceived strength
and standing in the forthcoming election. If you watch his campaign closely, you will discover that barring one or two other candidates, he is the only one that has taken time to go round all the local governments in the state while patiently expounding his policies and programmes to the electorates.
If you take a look at his manifesto, you will notice that unlike some other candidates, he understands Abia inside out and given this insight and professional pedigree, he has this rare ability to make Abia a model state within three years.
As has been variously said, the PDP messed up Abia for close to three decades and this has made the citizens think that life cannot get better. The corruption that has enveloped the state is so sizzling while the workers have been made beggarly by the government. The worst of them all is the present PDP government under Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. Thank God that ‘a Daniel came to judgment,’ on February 25 when he and his ilk were sent on retirement.
This was the same government that stole the mandate that the people graciously gave to Dr Otti in 2015 and instead of latching on the opportunity to develop the state, ended up impoverishing them. History will surely judge them harshly.
That is why this writer is worried that the PDP guber candidate for the 2023 elections in the state said he will continue with the legacy of the present government. This shows that his ambition is dead on arrival.
Dr Otti saw the failings of the Okezie Ikpeazu led government early and has been shouting but instead of praises, he has been insulted by the party. All the people that are jumping around now to become governors never said anything for fear of being victimized. Now they want to become governor after the ground has been prepared by Dr Otti. Nature does not work like that. They have to wait for their turn in eight years time, if they are still around.
Thank God that the right opportunity has come. The beauty of the moment is that grace is working for Dr Otti showing that this is his time.
When he left APC after seeing the hand of treachery to join an obscure Labour Party, pundits thought he made wrong political calculations. Little did he know that God had planned the winning platform for him because his time to reclaim his lost mandate had come.
To think that Labour Party has not become what it is today then shows that it was fate goading him.
In the last few weeks, some politicians contesting for the governorship seat with Otti have been putting up all kinds of campaign of calumny against otti to discredit him just because he is the man to beat at the elections. But this is purely a case of jealousy because Dr Otti like Peter Obi is an open book; you can’t find anything against him.
All around Abia state, the chant of ‘Labour party all the way’, by the citizens, especially the youths is so deafening. When you have the right candidate in the right party, everything falls in place. It is like square peg in a square hole.
The citizens are happy that the time has come for them to chase evil away from the Umuahia government house and enthrone prosperity. It is time to vote Dr Alex Otti again to return the peoples mandate. The place to vote is ‘papa, Mama and pikin.’
By Saturday evening the victory will be sealed and no devil can upturn it. You can quote the writer.
