Governor Alex Otti,
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has showered praises on Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, describing him as a goal-oriented leader whose efforts are transforming the lives of Abians.
Obasanjo made these remarks on Saturday at the Unity Church in Uzuakoli, Bende Local Government Area, during the commissioning of the 46.36km Umuahia–Uzuakoli–Akara–Alayi–Abiriba Highway, reconstructed under the administration of Governor Otti.
Recalling his past experience with the road, Obasanjo expressed astonishment at the transformation.
“You (Gov. Otti) are a man of your word, a goal getter, a performer. You are a man who says no to what is bad and yes to what is good. You are an example of a leader,” he said.
The former president, who noted the poor state of the road during a previous visit to Abiriba, described Otti as a “miracle worker.”
He added, “This road you are all talking about, I traveled on it to Abiriba. It was hellish, and when I was told that the road you have done will get me from Umuahia to Abiriba in 35 minutes, I said this man called Alex Otti is a miracle worker.”
Obasanjo urged the people of Abia to appreciate the quality of leadership they currently enjoy and advised them to make the most of it.
“You (Abia people) said you have had leaders before, but one thing you must know is that good leaders don’t flock and when you get a good leader, like you have got in Dr Alex Otti, you must maximise good use of him.”
He further noted that Otti’s performance is evidence that Nigeria’s current challenges can be overcome with the right leadership.
“I am a witness to what you are doing and urge you to keep doing what you are doing. If you look hard and wide, you will see that this governor does not lack a good team,” he said.
“Of course, this is proof that whatever bad situation we are seeing today can be made good tomorrow. All we need to do is to make sure that at every level, we must have the right leaders with the right team to work with.”
Obasanjo also downplayed political party affiliations, emphasizing character and capacity.
“For me, a political party is just a platform. What matters is the quality of the man, and the quality of Alex Otti is a good quality.”
In a concluding remark that hinted at electoral advice, he said, “Well, when the time comes for elections, my advice to the people of Abia State is, don’t change a winning horse.”
Governor Otti, in his address, expressed satisfaction over the project’s completion and noted its significance.
He said the newly commissioned highway is a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to doing things differently.
According to him, “The commissioning ceremony was an eloquent testimony of his resolve to be doing things differently,” and he added that the road would significantly reduce travel time for motorists and improve connectivity across the state.
