Governor Alex Otti has called on the people of Abia to disregard the recent “noise” from opposition politicians, characterising their newly formed alliances as a desperate gathering for personal gain rather than the state’s development.
Speaking at the dedication of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church building in Umuoriehi, Umuahia North, the governor took a swipe at former leaders who he says failed to develop the state during their 24-year tenure.
Otti’s remarks come amid reports of a political gang-up involving former governors Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji, and Okezie Ikpeazu ahead of the 2027 elections.
Addressing the congregation, Otti dismissed the opposition’s recent activities as mere tantrums.
He cited Isaiah 54:15 and Lamentations 3:37 to reinforce his stance that their efforts would ultimately collapse.
“I want us to just dismiss it as noise. It’s always the empty barrel that makes the loudest noise,” the governor stated.
“They will surely gather, but the gathering is not of me they will scatter and they will fall for your sake. Who are you to speak when the Lord has not spoken?”
The governor emphasised that while the opposition focuses on their own survival, his administration remains undeterred in “changing the narratives” and improving the lives of Abians.
Otti clarified that the reconstruction of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church building—which serves as the Headquarters of the Abia North Conference—was a renovation project funded entirely from his personal resources.
He stressed that government funds are reserved strictly for government business, noting that he has maintained a “second address” (private income) that allowed him to lead church fundraising efforts as far back as 2012.
Earlier in the service, Pastor Kennedy Ihuoma, President of the SDA Abia North-Central Conference, urged those in government to be the “Joseph of their time,” interpreting and actualising the vision for a new Abia.
The governor also used the platform to announce the commencement of activities for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
The week-long commemoration, which honours the nation’s fallen heroes, is set to culminate on January 15.
READ ALSO: Gov. Otti signs ₦1.016trn 2026 budget into law
Dignitaries in attendance include Obi Aguocha, Member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, Emmanuel Mereibeole, Acting SSG, and Caleb Ajagba, Chief of Staff to the governor.
The event concluded with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and special prayers for the governor’s cabinet and the continued progress of the state.
For more details, visit New Daily Prime at www.newdailyprime.news.
