APC chieftain, Onuigbo praises Gov Otti’s performance in Abia

South East representative on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission, former House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Climate Change, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, has given a pass mark on the administration of Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State, declaring that the Governor has done “outstandingly well”.

The All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain, made the assertion while fielding questions from newsmen after a “Thank you reception” for his supporters and associates in Umuahia.

This is coming barely three months after a former Senate President and the incumbent Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, said that Otti had by awarding contract for the reconstruction of the dilapidated Port Harcourt Road Aba, secured ticket for his second tenure.

Contract for the 6.5 kilometer strategic road was awarded to Julius Berger, the first time the firm would be engaged by Abia State for road construction.

Onuigbo who was the APC senatorial candidate for Abia Central in the 2023 general elections, said he was impressed with his findings after a dispassionate assessment and analysis of the performances of the Governor so far.

He commended Otti for his strides towards bridging the infrastructural deficits in the state

“The current administration in Abia State led by Dr Alex Otti has done outstanding well. I’m happy the way he is carrying on.

"I have a few examples to buttress my assertion. As a Rep member, I worked on the road project from Amachara to Ossah. The proposal was to have a fly over at the Express Tower, then dualise the road down to Umudike (16 kms). Everything about the design has been completed by the federal government but the contract has not been awarded before Otti assumed office.

"When I met him few months after his emergence, he told me he had commissioned the dualisation of Ossah Road which is there today for all to see.

"Abia has no federal secretariat but I facilitated one. The federal government has awarded the contract only what was required was for the state to pay small compensation to the owners of the land. I wrote four letters to the past administration but it didn’t do anything. But as soon as I discussed it with Otti, he happily embraced it and commended me.

"And I can tell you that today, he is poised to pay compensation to the community. This is why I said he had done well. He came prepared to govern and to lead. It’s not about personal aggrandizement”.

Chief Onuigbo also said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had taken commendable steps towards taking Nigeria out of the woods.

He argued that Nigeria’s woes were not created by the President but that he was rather making spirited efforts to profer lasting solutions to the problems he met on ground.

Onuigbo who represented Ikwuano/ Umuahia federal constituency in the 9th Assembly, solicited prayers and continued support of Nigerians for President Tinubu who he said, had demonstrated commitment to place Nigeria on the path of greatness.

"President Tinubu is not the cause of the problems he inherited. He has just been in office for six months. Some of these problems were there before he came on board.

” But he is bringing in new policies and approaches as a way of solving the accumulated problems, and then place Nigeria on a very strong footing for growth and development. You can see that his policies are meant to move Nigeria towards the right direction.

"Tinubu was not the President for the past 63 years. He is trying to formulate policies that will help better the lots of Nigerians just like other good economies.”

Chief Onuigbo urged Nigerians to rather pray for and support the President instead of resorting of unnecessary criticisms.

“Mr President is the father of the nation. We must pray for him – his good health and long life – to get all the supports he needs locally and internationally to be able to move the country forward.

"It’s important for us to pray instead of criticise. Even the Bible urges us to pray for our leaders. We must pray for God to give him wisdom to bring resources to Nigeria. So, we shall continue to support and pray for him to succeed”.

The former lawmaker and senatorial candidate thanked his supporters for standing with him even while his legal tussle after the APC primaries lasted until his candidacy was affirmed by the Supreme Court.

He promised to continue to advance the cause of the people and serve meritoriously without any dent in any position of public trust.

Chief Onuigbo also thanked President Tinubu for appointing the representative of the South East on the NEDC Governing Board, promising to serve with utmost dedication.