Being the Text of an Address Presented by Governor Alex C. Otti OFR, on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at the Umuahia Township Stadium at the formal flag off of the 2027 Gubernatorial Campaign of the Labour Party
Protocol
- 12 years ago, we came to you with a message of hope, a commitment to lead the democratic crusade for the soul of our dear State. You never dithered in your commitment because, like us, you have also borne the shame and frustration of governance failure, institutional collapse and the misery of living like a conquered population. The campaign for the rescue of Abia quickly moved from the strategy rooms to the streets, markets, community squares, religious centres and wherever the opportunity to share the message of the New Abia presented itself, within and outside the State. What started as an idea became a movement in weeks, and the signal became unmistakable: Abia is ripe for a new political system, one that prioritises development and welfare of the people over the vainglory of sycophancy and unearned accolades. After the man-made disappointments of 2015 and 2019, the siege was broken in 2023, and in a little over 3 years, the clouds of despair have parted, the long nightmare has ended, and the light of renewal, restoration and prosperity has risen over our dear State.
- After the Almighty God to whom all glory belongs, the credit for the turnaround we have witnessed in the State since May 29, 2023, belongs entirely to the people of Abia but, particularly, to everyone of you, our faithful supporters who, for more than a decade, remained unyielding in the conviction that the destiny of this great State is too consequential to be left in the hands of political profiteers. You resisted the false stories our opponents concocted to dampen your resolve, refused to be intimidated by threats of bodily and economic harm, and above all, demonstrated the strength of character that is uncommon in the political environment. Today, we gather as one people, members of a united political family, to prepare for the last lap of the first phase of this journey, moving from rescue to consolidation. On this special Sunday, I invite us to also remember our dear brothers and sisters, friends and associates, foundational members of this team who have since completed their earthly journeys and returned to be with our Maker. At our inauguration on this ground 41 months ago, we honoured the unforgettable memories of our friends, including my dear brother, Prince Otisi Ndukwe Kalu, aka Abbot, Mazi Nnanna Ngwu, Mr Eze Alomefuna, Prince Dike, Dr Mike Nwachukwu, Prince Emeka Obasi, Chief Enyi Aj, i and Chief Mike Nkwoji (Mike Merchandise), visionaries who gave this movement its enduring identity of resilience, faith, and purpose under pressure. On this day when we return to announce our intention to continue the race as it has pleased the Lord, it is also fitting that we spare a moment in reflection for several other leaders of the movement who could have gladly made this trip but for the fact that they now sleep in eternity. Today, as always, we honour their memories and salute the courage, passion and devotion they brought to the long struggle for the dawn of a New Abia. Your worthy examples and sacrifices remain for us, eternal reminders that the only battles worth fighting are the ones that leave our community a little better than we met it.
- Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me thank you for your enthusiasm and remarkable warmth as we formally flag off the Labour Party 2027 Governorship campaign here in Umuahia. Your message of support echoes from the farthest communities in Arochukwu and Ukwa to the bustling centres of Aba and Umuahia; our gratitude is far more profound than words can carry, but suffice it to say that we are sincerely grateful. As I have said repeatedly, it is the greatest honour of my lifetime to serve and work with all of you to rebuild this blessed State and turn its potential into real opportunities for prosperity. You, umunne m ndi Abia, are the real architects of the project, so it comes as no surprise that you are fired up for the next lap of the race. Together, we shall win, not because it is our right, but for the fact that you deserve a government that is responsive and answerable to you. This is therefore never about entitlements; it is an invitation made in humility, calling you to join Engineer Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, and me, as we seek a fresh mandate of another term of 4 years to consolidate the multi-sectoral gains the State has recorded in the last 41 months under our stewardship. My dear brother and I have presented ourselves as deputy governorship and governorship candidates, respectively, under the umbrella of the Labour Party for 3 connected reasons, and the first, like I had earlier mentioned, is to move the architecture of governance from rescue to consolidation. The second reason is to institutionalise excellence, accountability, and professionalism in public service, thereby guaranteeing that mediocrity and the antiquated political philosophy of the old order are forever banished from our public life. Lastly, we intend to use the next four years, when entrusted with a renewed mandate, to extend the development arc through policies and investment decisions that reposition the State for the opportunities of the emerging economic order, especially now that the basic governance and infrastructure challenges that once hampered our progress have been significantly addressed. Our overarching agenda is to further deepen the gains of the last 4 years, strengthen the institutions of public service,e and prepare a new generation of leaders to carry the vision forward.
- Our 2027 Manifesto has been unveiled, and when you go through the pages, you will observe that we have painstakingly articulated our body of achievements on multiple development frontlines with verifiable facts and figures. With the completion of more than 400 different road projects covering over a thousand kilometres, even as 82 others, spanning a distance of over 200 kilometres, are still ongoing, it is evident that we have moved the development conversations several notches higher and recalibrated the parameters of progress. The remarkable thing is not merely the number or length of the roads in themselves; it is the fact that we took on projects that were thought impossible only a few years ago, from Port Harcourt Road Aba through Obohia and Ohanku, and currently, the spotlight is on Uratta and Old Express Roads; these are roads that lay in ruins for nearly 30 years; today, however, the reality is different; the nightmare of yesteryears has ended, and the joy of our people has been restored. Shall we talk about the Ozu Abam – Arochukwu Road or the Omenuko Bridge or the Uma Ukpai Road from Onuimo to Abia Tower or perhaps the 67.4 km Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Abiriba-Ohafia Road or maybe the expansion and modernisation of the Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard or the Nunya- Eluama- Ogboro Road or the Mbala-Umuaku – Ngodo Road or the recently-completed Ohanze-Ntighauzo-Obete-Umuoha-Oberete-AkirikaObu Road? The fact is that, outside the unprecedented investments in road infrastructure in the urban centres of Aba and Umuahia, we have been deliberate to ensure that we extend our road construction and recovery footprints to every other local government area in the State, with a focus on projects with significant social and economic impacts. In health, we have revived and transformed the primary healthcare delivery system to be more responsive to the needs of our people, especially at the rural communities. The secondary and tertiary care institutions are also not left out as public confidence in the system returns. A holistic turnaround is also happening in the education sector with the recruitment of more than 9, 000 teachers for our public primary and secondary schools, the delivery of smart schools and the retrofitting of scores of public schools across the State. The tertiary education sector is also not left out, with investments worth tens of billions of naira on physical infrastructure projects and personnel welfare at the Abia State University Uturu, Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba, and the Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu. We have also achieved remarkable development feats in security, public transportation, urban sanitation, power and public utilities, public buildings, environmental and climate change governance, land administration, youth development, industry and SMEs support, agriculture, digital economy, arts and culture, and support for women and vulnerable groups. In 3 years, we have taken deliberate steps to address structural challenges and barriers to economic productivity, restored the dignity of our people, and made Abia a reference point in development conversations. With a fresh mandate in the February 6, 2027, governorship election, we shall raise the bar even higher and set Abia on the path of irreversible progress through bold leadership, investments in factor assets, and multi-level partnerships for prosperity.
- Our job as stakeholders in the weeks and months ahead is to work collectively to make our victory decisive in every polling unit. This is not a good time to sit on the fence or make assumptions. Your votes matter for it is the most effective power available to all of us to keep Abia on this trajectory of development through effective governance. Also remember that we will not be working alone; we shall achieve a lot more together if we work in unity to equally elect our Party’s candidates for the 3 Senatorial seats, 8 House of Representatives positions, and in the 24 State Constituencies. Vote Labour Party for the prosperity of our communities, for a better future for our children and for the consolidation of the New Abia ethos of service and accountability.
- I acknowledge that we are not the only ones in the race, and I congratulate our brothers and sisters in the opposition parties for emerging successful in the internal selection processes of their parties. I wish you well as you traverse the length and breadth of the State in the search for votes. The beauty of democracy is the plurality of options it offers all of us, which is why this administration made it clear that the rascality of yesteryears will have no place in the new order. I have since given a public directive that opposition parties should not be restricted from the use of public facilities once they apply and obtain the necessary approvals. Security agencies have also been mandated to arrest and deal decisively with anyone who attempts to obstruct any political group from holding their legitimate activities or deface campaign publicity materials. Even then, my advice to all of us is to restrict ourselves to the issues that are relevant to our people, sell your manifesto, and leave out unnecessary personal attacks.
- Do not, however, forget that in Abia, we have gone past the era of campaigning with the payment of salaries and pensions, construction of roads, or urban sanitation; the hygiene issues have been dealt with, so if you are unable to raise your campaign pitch to the development realities of our State, you will definitely struggle to convince any informed voter to take you seriously,y but again, you are also free to try. Do not also forget that the State ranks first in the citizens satisfaction index, first in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, first in health preparedness index, and also stands in excellent positions on State Performance Index and fiscal performance ranking as published by reputable governance tracking and public accountability institutions. Evidently, the world knows that Abia is on the right track, and the testimony of millions of our people living at home and in the diaspora validates the assessment of the multilateral institutions that have since opened the pathways of development assistance for us. It would therefore be unthinkable that anyone will ever be allowed to return us to the old era of irresponsibility and misery.
- All that needs to be said has been said, so let me thank you once again for coming out in your numbers to join us for this event. This is your project,t and as you return to the communities, knock on every door and remind our people that we still have a job to complete. Invite them to join the campaign so that together, we can conclude the journey that began 12 years ago in faith and optimism.
- Thank you for listening, and may God bless you.
