Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has disagreed with the reported assertion of his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodimma, that the South East governors have resolved to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027, saying he is not aware of any such resolution.

Fielding questions at the July media chat in Umuahia, Otti said Uzodinma was not speaking for him, but is entitled to his assertion as democracy guarantees everyone freedom of expression, observing that it is too early to make any declaration on next year’s poll, which he said would be done at the appropriate time.

“It’s his right to say he wants to re-elect President Tinubu,” Otti said while reaffirming his membership of the Labour Party (LP) with its own presidential and Vice Presidential candidates also contesting the 2027 election, which he is politically bound to support, and advised that 2027 election be kept till then.

“I’m not against the President running for a second term, but it depends on the people. Others also have the right to run. I don’t want to be part of theorising. The Labour Party has its presidential and vice presidential candidates, that does not mean we will pick quarrel with everybody,” the governor said.

He however reiterated his stance on the bold economic decisions taken by the President in the last few years, that is steering the economy in the positive direction.

On rail transportation and industrialization, which formed part of his campaign promises, the governor disclosed that the South East governors and some of their South South counterparts are holding discussion on the matter with a view to linking those who do not originally have railway lines.

He said a Chinese company had completed the feasibility study of linking some communities in Abia from Aba to the Port Harcourt – Enugu – Makurdi rail corridor but discovered it would be better to link Owerri in Imo and Uyo in Akwa Ibom along.

He said the infrastructure and security on ground has attracted many investors to the State for industrial revolution, including an Egyptian pharmaceutical company, compressed natural gas CNG, project, solar panel and alternative energy company, among others.

On the restoration of pipe borne water, the governor assured that soon the water schemes he undertook their rehabilitation in CKC and Ariaria in Aba and Ubakala and Arochukwu, would be ready for public use. He explained that the delay in their completion was because many components needed to be changed having been laid since the 1970s.

“Water is something so critical in our lives, we’ll soon commission our water schemes in CKC Aba and in Ubakala, Umuahia. We take one thing at a time and issue of water would be next in our agenda.”

On the consideration for an upward adjustment of the minimum wage to reflect current realities, Otti disclosed that Abia under his leadership was the first State to pay the new minimum wage and that his administration has sustained the tempo of paying staff salaries and pensions on or before 28 of every month, adding that minimum wage would not be paid at the expense of the informal sector and other critical infrastructure.

On the delay in the rehabilitation of the Ohafia-Arochukwu highway, in contrast to the fast paced rehabilitation of the Umuahia – Uzuakoli – Akara – Ohafia road, the governor explained that the road is a Federal road and attributed the delay in its completion to the bottleneck in getting the rehabilitation approval from the Federal Government. He however, assured that the project which is about 75 percent completed, would soon be commissioned. (New Telegraph)

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