The Governor of Anambra State and Board of Trustees Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Willie Obiano, has hailed the New Year’s Eve judgement of the Court of Appeal, sitting in Owerri, which declared Dr. Alex Otti as the duly elected Governor of Abia State.

Speaking Friday in Awka through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. James Eze, Obiano described the Appeal Court judgement as a landmark decision and a huge victory for democracy.

According to him, in recent years, the nation’s judiciary had continued to rise to the expectations of the people as the midwife of the democratic process, lending crucial roots to Nigeria’s growing democratic culture.

“We in APGA have always believed in the supremacy of the law. We have always campaigned for due process and for a stronger, more independent judiciary. The Appeal Court judgement on Dr. Alex Otti has re-affirmed our confidence in the Nigerian judiciary,” said Obiano, who is also the National Leader of APGA, the platform on which Dr. Otti contested the Abia governorship on April 11, 2015.

Describing Dr. Otti as a quintessential change agent who would not waste time to turn the fortunes of Abia State around, Governor Obiano expressed hope that Otti would transform Abia with APGA’s highly acclaimed model of governance.

Said he: “The motto of our great party says ‘Onye aghana nwanneya’, which means “be your brother and sister’s keeper.’ It is a remarkable philosophy which stirs in every member of our party a sense of brotherhood and a sense of community. If you are a good member of a community, you would give that community the very best of your service. That is the philosophy that drives the high performance of APGA leaders. Dr. Otti will give Abia the best leadership possible.”

The governor also expressed optimism that other APGA gubernatorial candidates pushing for the validation their mandates in the Appeal Court would get the justice that they deserve. He expressed hope that the party’s candidate for the soon to be rescheduled Anambra Central Senatorial election, Chief Victor Umeh, would triumph at the polls.

It would be recalled that the entry of Dr Otti into the last Abia gubernatorial race on the platform of the APGA had upturned all political calculations in the state in view of the mass appeal of the party across the South East and the impressive track record of Dr Otti.

The Appeal Court judgement is therefore a validation of the popular wish of the Abia people who had longed for visionary leadership which Dr Otti’s technocratic background and profile in excellence would guarantee.

•Photo shows Governor Obiano.