By Prof. Maduka Enyimba
Good governance, which is a prerequisite for socioeconomic stability, human capital development, political stability, and overall societal flourishing, has been grossly absent from Nigeria’s political history for decades, particularly throughout its transition to democratic rule. In this context, good governance entails the ability of an elected leader to manage public resources and affairs effectively, responsibly, transparently, and honestly, with the ultimate goal of meeting the needs and aspirations of the people. It requires, among other things, a high degree of accountability, transparency, fiscal discipline, responsiveness, and adherence to the rule of law.
In any society where good governance prevails, corruption is significantly reduced, public trust is strengthened, essential amenities such as quality healthcare, functional schools, good roads, and reliable infrastructure are provided, and political power is deployed for the benefit of the wider citizenry rather than a privileged few. This, in my view, is the direction in which the administration of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, has taken Abia State.
For decades since its creation, Abia State and its people experienced the consequences of poor governance, manifested in the mismanagement of public funds, inadequate healthcare and educational systems, deteriorating infrastructure, and the general neglect of critical public services. These challenges were compounded by allegations of corruption, declining public confidence, insufficient transparency, and weak institutional accountability from one administration to another.
But, like the children of Israel who cried out for deliverance from their bondage in Egypt, Abians have for years yearned for liberation from the shackles of maladministration, underdevelopment, and the impoverishment of their commonwealth. In Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, many Abians believe they have found a leader who has brought a new sense of direction, purpose, discipline, and hope to the state. In this sense, the name Alex Otti has increasingly become associated with good governance in Abia State.
His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, working with his cabinet and other critical stakeholders in government, including the deputy speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rtd. Hon. Austin Okezie Meregini, has demonstrated through a number of notable projects and reforms that good governance is possible. The transformation taking place across Abia State, including Umuahia East and other parts of the state, offers evidence that with the right leadership, the right policies, and prudent management of public resources, Abia State, and indeed Nigeria can achieve meaningful development.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is pertinent to highlight a few of the notable achievements attributed to the administration of Governor Alex Otti within its first three years in office.
First and most importantly, given the strategic importance of financial discipline to every other form of development, the administration has prioritised prudent management of the state’s resources, tighter control of government expenditure, and fiscal responsibility. According to figures cited by the administration, substantial progress has been made in addressing inherited financial obligations without taking on fresh communal loans. The administration has paid down approximately 75 percent of inherited debts tied to specific obligations of previous administrations, thereby reducing the reported debt burden from about ₦191.2 billion to approximately ₦48.4 billion. These obligations included contractor debts, pension arrears, and loans owed to multilateral organisations.
This is an important dimension of good governance because responsible leadership is not merely about initiating new projects; it is also about confronting inherited liabilities, restoring fiscal credibility, and ensuring that public resources are managed in the long-term interest of the people. If this trajectory is sustained, Abia State could be positioned to achieve a substantially stronger fiscal position by the end of the administration’s tenure.
Second, the administration has embarked on an extensive programme of infrastructural renewal and public-sector development. More than 450 roads have reportedly been constructed or rehabilitated, while efforts have also been made to improve environmental sanitation, strengthen healthcare facilities, renovate and rebuild schools, improve the state’s energy infrastructure, and stimulate socioeconomic development across the major cities and communities of Abia State.
These interventions are significant because infrastructure is the foundation upon which economic activity, education, healthcare, employment, and social wellbeing depend. Good roads facilitate commerce; functional hospitals save lives; quality schools build human capital; reliable energy supports businesses; and a clean environment contributes to public health and dignity.
If these two major areas of achievement, namely, fiscal responsibility and infrastructural renewal are not sufficient to persuade anyone that the name Alex Otti resonates with good governance, then perhaps very little else would.
As His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, rightly stated in an interview with Arise TV, “Leadership remains the foundation of government. Everything succeeds or fails on the altar of leadership.” The implication is profound: leadership is the vehicle through which governance produces either progress or stagnation. Where leadership is purposeful, disciplined, and accountable, society has a greater chance of achieving sustainable development. Where leadership is weak or self-serving, even abundant public resources can be squandered.
It is therefore clear that the achievements of Governor Alex Otti, as visible in various parts of the state, have become a significant campaign mantra for Otti’s return in 2027. His emphasis on fiscal discipline, infrastructure, transparency, and people-oriented development has created a strong basis for advocating that his administration continues in office beyond this present term.
In fact, the 2027 election undoubtedly, provides another opportunity for Abians to assess the direction of the state and decide what kind of leadership they desire for the future. Do they want to continue with the leadership of Dr. Alex Otti whose enduring principle is that of good governance, accountability, competence, and the welfare of the people; or do they want to go back to the days of maladministration? It is time for Abians to reciprocate the fatherly gesture of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti by voting massively to keep him in office in other to benefit more from his visionary leadership.
This is consistent with the Igbo aphorism: “Onye na-eme nke ọma, a na-asị ya jisie ike,” which means, “He who is doing well is encouraged to continue in his good work.”
On this note, I urge Governor Alex Chioma Otti to remain steadfast in his commitment to the development of Abia State, to continue to prioritise the welfare of the people, and to sustain the reforms and projects that have defined his administration.
I also call on Abians to join hands in building on the gains of the present administration and to “ALEXIFY” Abia in 2027.
CHIOMA-ABIA, JIDE NKE IJI. ANYI SO GI N’AZU.
Prof. Maduka Enyimba the is a Professor of African Philosophy of Education, and Environment at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
