Governor Alex Otti of Abia State
Otti raises alarm over moves to stop his inaugration
…Says opponents to obtain court order to remove him and replace him with interim government on May 29
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti, and the state chapter of Labour Party (LP) have raised the alarm over a plot to scuttle the mandate freely given to him by Abians during the March 18, 2023 governorship election by obtaining another court order purporting to remove him as the Governor-elect, and replace him with an interim government on May 29, 2023, headed by a Judge.
According to the Abia incoming Governor and his party, the plot equally entails moves to create confusion on May 29, 2023, by the plotters who are also planning to collect a Certificate of Return (CoR)from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But Otti has assured Abians that such evil plots by those he referred to as “civilian coupists” to stop him would all fail.
The duo who spoke through a statement issued on Monday, May 22, 2023, by Otti’s Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Ferdinand Ekeoma and LP’s State Publicity Secretary, Njoku Jerry Ajike, said they have “uncovered yet another treasonable plot” by agents of Abia State government on one hand, and a Chieftain of APC on the other, in connivance with some corrupt officials in INEC and the Judiciary “to procure yet another tainted order from yet another court in the North purporting to have removed the Abia Governor-Elect, Dr. Alex Otti.”
“The felons behind these heinous acts,” they said, “would then proceed to collect a Certificate of Return from their allies in INEC to create confusion on May 29,” that may birth “an interim government in the state” the statement added and further disclosed that huge amount of money has been budgeted for the project.
“Certain individuals from Abia who are working assiduously in secrete with both the PDP/Abia state government and the APC Chieftain respectively, just recently boasted that Abia would have an Interim Government led by a Judge. Large amount of money in foreign currency stolen from Abia treasury has been set aside for this exercise,” alleged Ekeoma and Ajike who also warned that the project was doomed to fail, while their executors would be severely sanctioned.
“While we make bold to tell these enablers of anarchy that their plot is already doomed, we must also warn that these actions which represent a fulfillment of the threats made by agents of Abia State government to make the state ungovernable over their defeat at the last elections, would have severe consequences should the perpetrators refuse to stop and give peace a chance,” they said.
The duo said that they could not fathom why those who had gone to the tribunal to challenge Otti’s emergence would suddenly abandon the path provided by the law and have recourse to impunity with the aim of breeding anarchy and insecurity in the state.
“It’s strange that the same elements who had since gone to the Tribunal to challenge the outcome of the election are no longer confident in following the route provided by the law, but have rather resorted to impunity that would disrupt the peace and security of our people and our state.
“Finally, the Abia Governor-Elect, Dr. Alex Otti and his party, the Labour Party, wish to reassure Abians once again, that the Divine Mandate unanimously given to him and his party by Abians remains Sacrosanct, Safe and Secure, and that under no circumstance would these civilian coupists and criminal usurpers and interlopers be allowed to steal it,” the statement concluded.
