Abia State Government has held an interdenominational thanksgiving service to commemorate the third anniversary of the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
Speaking during the event held at the Trademore event centre, Umuahia, on Sunday, May 24th, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to serving God and fulfilling promises made to the people at the inception of his administration.
Governor Otti said that the thanksgiving and worship remained a personal conviction for him and his family, stressing that giving glory to God is necessary for the successes recorded by the administration.
Governor Otti stated that, upon assumption of office, his administration rededicated the State to God and made vows that he would ensure that divine guidance would be his watchword.
“We started by taking the State to God in prayers and rededicated the State immediately after we were sworn in,” Gov. Otti stated.
The State Chief Executive disclosed that his plans to commence the construction of an Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia, which is a personal project to be funded privately without any financial contribution from the State government, are being done in fulfillment of his vow to God.
Governor Otti further noted that he had already provided the land for the project and that the land was acquired by him in 2009, long before he became Governor.
“We vowed that we are going to build an Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia for God.
“The Ecumenical Centre is not going to be built with government money. No dime from the State government will go into it,” Governor Otti said.
The Governor, who thanked servants of God for their sustained prayers, particularly appreciated the President of Living Word Ministries International, Dr. Emma Okorie, for his support and prayers over the years, and recalled that during his 2014 governorship project, officials of the previous administrations persecuted the servant of God for associating with him.
Earlier in his sermon titled “Where there is no Vision, the People Perish”, the President of Living Word Ministries International, Dr. Emma Okorie, described the Governor as a “God-sent”, on a mission to deliver the people of Abia.
Dr. Okorie, who took his Bible text from the book of Exodus 3:1-10, said that the Israelites had spent long years under bondage in Egypt, and God sent Moses to deliver them after they cried out to God. He likened it to the case of Abia State, which had undergone sufferings and setbacks for 24 years as a result of having people without vision on the saddle of leadership.
He said that the emergence of Governor Otti is a sign that God heard the cry of the people of Abia State and sent Dr. Otti to deliver them from their challenges.
Also, speaking the Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Ukpong, urged Governor Otti and members of his administration not to be distracted from doing good, assuring them of God’s guidance and support.
He assured that no enemy would be able to overpower God’s strength, as long as the Governor and his team continue to trust in God and remain committed to the good works they are doing.
“All God needs from you is your trust and for you to continue doing good.
“Do not allow anything to distract you from the good works you are doing, and the prayers of the people will continue to be with you,” Most Rev. Ukpong stated.
In his testimonies, the Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Umuahia Archdiocese, Most Rev Dr. Chibuzor Opoko reeled out various achievements of Governor Alex Otti, including, infrastructural development, stoping of the entrenched dichotomy in payment of salaries and pensions, defraying of arrears of salaries and pension owed by past administration, tackling of erosion challenges, fixing the healthcare infrastructure and making its delivery accessible to all and the transformations of the educational among others.
He said that Governor Otti has made the people of Abia State to be proud, saying that before, Abians were blind, but now they can see, and urged Abians not to use their destinies to play politics, but support the Governor to sustain his transformational agenda in the State.
Dignitaries present at the Thanksgiving service were the wife of the Governor, Her Excellency, Mrs. Priscilla Otti; the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa; the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Lilian Abai; members of the National and State Assembly, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba; Head of Service, Mr. Benson Ojeikere; members of the State Executive Council; members of the Abia State Traditional Rulers Council led by Eze Linus Nto Mbah; an array of clergy men, among others.
Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
May 24th, 2026.
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