The emergence of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, as the incumbent Chief Executive and Governor of Abia State, was not entirely devoid of epic drama and theatrics or devoid of ironic coincidence or happenstance. Otti’s ascendance, was characterized by a divinely ordained fusion or union of favourable circumstances “accidentally” coalescing in formidable “alliance”. The triumphant political arrival of Otti as the political boss of Abia State, can be likened to the charming circumstances of Serendipity of “Political Alice” in the “political wonderland”. Did Mother Luck play any significant role in the ultimate electoral victory of Dr. Alex Otti, in the 2023 General Elections? Obviously, to a reasonable degree, the undeniable facts or the incontrovertible answer, is yes! Without the uncompromising stance, stature, and the bold courage exhibited by the legendary Amazon, Professor Nnenna Oti (not a family relation of Alex Otti) perhaps, the ultimate outcome of the 2023 governorship polls, as in the past, may have produced a “Winner” who did not in reality win the elections by means of ballots in the polls. Mother Luck or Serendipity, appeared in the form of the formidable person and presence of Professor Nnenna Oti, who was INEC appointee in charge of the onerous task of the collation and declaration of the results, and ultimately, declaration of the winner of the keenly contested polls. To this extent, Alex Otti, can be described as the Serendipity “Goodluck” Governor or Serendipitous “Goodluck Governor, of Abia State: the Candidate who won elections and Mother Luck was ever present to ensure his victory in the polls was not as in the past scuttled, by the dark forces of polls robbers operating with impunity, without conscience, without any consideration for integrity in the highly monetized and compromised Nigerian electoral system.
Conviction and Capacity
Aside from Serendipity, did Alex Otti, truly deserve his electoral victory? Yes, again, is the answer. After previous scuttled attempts, Alex Otti, succeeded finally in 2023, namely, because he demonstrated conviction and capacity to lead and govern Abia State.
*Obidient Movement*
Secondly, the winds of change, manifest in the Obidient Political Movement, symbolized in the Labour Party, swept forcefully through the political landscapes of Abia State, in favour of Otti. 2023 General Elections, marked a remarkable Milestone, in the political annals and Calendar of Abia State, signified by the resultant paradigm shift and the overthrow of the PDP Hegemonic dominance of Abia State’s politics for unbroken 24 years (interrupted or interspersed by TA Orji’s interregnum, under the platform of PPA administration).
*Strident Opposition*
The strident currents of opposition, mounted by the political stakeholders drawn from the political bloc formerly in charge of political governance in Abia State, evidently predated or preceded, the declaration of Alex Otti, as the winner of the 2023 polls; and Otti’s inauguration in office on May 29, 2023, as the Governor of Abia State. Specifically, the abortive or futile attempts to hijack and upstage the results of the polls suffered tremendous setbacks, because of the boldness exhibited by Professor Nnenna Oti, underscored the singular motive of the opposition political bloc and stakeholders, deviced to preserve and protect the pre-2023 elections political status quo in Abia State. Such designs failed to yield results anticipated or expected by the masterminds. The shady aims and obnoxious objectives, the grand-agenda and scheming of the former Hegemonic political overlords, did not only crumble but were totally shattered, by the Supreme Will of God, made manifest in the heroics of Professor Nnenna Oti; in conjunction with other revolutionary forces that prevailed over the politically engineered attempts to upturn the results of the polls. The defeat of the rigging attempts ushered in despair and desperation in the ranks and the camp of the leading opposition bloc.
The Arrow-heads of the opposition bloc, instead of effectively channeling the much desired efforts, towards rebuilding and repositioning the fast-fading image and political relevance of the political Party, once regarded as a Political Behemoth and Hegemon in Nigeria and in Abia State, chose primarily to mark out Otti as the prime target of media attacks and onslaughts, by hauling what may be termed ridiculous barbs of criticisms, unleashed every second of the minute. I doubt, if this political cum media strategy is yielding any meaningful impact, beyond smear campaigns, as the core objective.
Let me be categorically clear: I am not an Apologist of Alex Otti. I belong to the school of thought that subscribes to and supports credible opposition in a democratic system, and purposeful opposition even under a Totalitarian system or regime. I consider credible opposition as the fuel or tonic to propel or the catalyst for a better society, politically and holistically.
*Vendetta*
Thorough and objective analysis of the tons of the criticisms launched in the directions of Alex Otti, and his administration, border on the threshold of political vendetta, and remote from the tenets of credible and sensible opposition politics. Stratagem, Sensationalism in crafting political criticisms, do not necessarily equate to credible or validated facts. Facts must always be separated from Fiction. Facts are sacred but Fiction borders on fabrication.
*Underlying Motives*
One is highly constrained to ask some pertinent questions: What is the underlying motive or the agenda of the Arrow-heads of the leading opposition bloc, in Abia State?
To provide credible opposition, in a well articulated and coordinated attempt to regain political power and relevance in 2027 General Elections?
To rebuild the ruins of the collapsing structure of the leading opposition bloc or platform and redress the mistakes of the past decades, evident in the corrosive internal contradictions weakening the leading opposition bloc?
To destroy completely the leading opposition bloc platform by means of polluting the political and media space with barrages of misleading information, that hunts, hurts, and prickles the conscience of some of the opposition bloc’s faithful, who abhors deception? Torrents of defections to other political platforms underscore this point.
To massage or to mortgage the fragile confidence and integrity of the bloc’s faithful, who may be fooled into swallowing falsehoods, concocted by the bloc’s leaders and Apparatchiks?
To take wholesome revenge on the Abia electorate for discarding or ditching the leading opposition bloc in preference of seemingly better alternative platform, in the 2023 polls?
To blackmail or to tarnish the image of the incumbent administration in Abia State, as financially wasteful, imprudent, and profligate government?
To convince the Presidency and the Federal Government of the failures of Otti’s administration in Abia State?
To deter or scare local and external investors, by means of sustained campaigns, designed to imply that the Abia State’s political climate is unattractive and investor-unfriendly, and not a safe haven for investment?
Whatever are the real or the imaginary intents or the underlying political motives of the Arrow-heads of the leading opposition bloc, one thing is quite clear: the aggregate outcome or the summation of the grand-agenda of the leading opposition bloc and forces, as individuals or collectively, appears to aim to sabotage or submerge Abia State, as a political entity, leveraging on well orchestrated, subtly configured and politically manipulative propaganda politics.
*Nobody is a Saint*
Alex Otti, is, by no means a Saint, no doubt. Otti’s political associates, likewise, are by no means Saints. Members of Otti’s Cabinet, are by no means Saints, either. All humans, are one and have something in common: human frailties and shortcomings. Nobody, is perfect, and nobody towers above the pyramid of human imperfections. All humans are culpable in this context, without any exception.
*Realities*
To bring the point home: PDP governed Abia State for a lengthy period of unbroken 24 years, as the supreme political force and platform. The narrative, changed dramatically in 2023, chiefly because Abians were united in the determination to throw overboard the yoke of the PDP, to liberate themselves from the shackles of mis-governance or misadventures. In the particular contex of PDP Hegemonic dominance of Abia State political landscape for 24 years, the critically important issue remains: what are the concrete or tenable positive legacies of the PDP administrations, in Abia State? Accelerated or rapid development of infrastructure or lethargic underdevelopment and mis-governance and impunity? Head or Tail: PDP failed Ndi Abia, abysmally. The indices of the failure, are evident and glaring.
In realistic terms, I feel strongly, PDP owes Ndi Abia, unreserved apologies for the underwhelming performance, stretching a period of 24 years. 24 years of lethargy, plundering, and impunity.
*Scapegoating*
From another perspective, Otti, should not be blamed for the failure of PDP, or perceived as the real burden of PDP opposition bloc. The real burden or the real enemy of PDP lies within PDP political bloc and family. The combination of factors that caused the misuse of the political goodwill of Abians and the sense of braggadocio and impunity that ruined PDP in the 2023 elections were self- inflicted wounds, and self-inflicted defeat, deep-rooted in the past misdeeds of 24 years. In 2023, Political Goliath faced a David, but Goliath, kissed the dusts of defeat, because of impunity and pomposity. The booties of the office to be shared have eluded the once dreaded Hegemonic political Behemoth.
PDP should have realized by now that if Otti, takes Abians for granted, and misuses his political stewardship and opportunity to serve Abia State well, the door is wide open for Ndi Abia, to shove Otti out in 2027. This is the critically important lesson for Otti and other political Gladiators in Abia State, inferencing the failure of PDP in Abia State.
In realistic terms, the diminishing, fading political potent force of the leading opposition bloc, can be revamped. The leading opposition bloc has enough time to indulge in realistically designed indepth, post-morterm analysis and synthesis or objective appraisal of all the ills or vices that metamorphized in the Nemesis or the Achilles heel and the inevitable collapse of the current leading opposition bloc, in preparations for 2027.
The more attention is deviously deflected and expended in the direction of Otti, the more any genuine prospects of political recovery fade away, or are ultimately squandered. Here lies squarely the real burden of the leading opposition bloc in Abia State. No mystery, whatsoever, is surrounding the fading political fortunes of the once vibrant PDP platform in Abia State.
The Anniversary, marking the second year in office of Otti, serves as the occasion of reminiscence of the chequered political trajectories of Abia State: for the political stakeholders, voters, analysts, commentators, and generality of Abia Society.
May God continue to uphold Abia State (God’s Own State).
ShaFT@Polemics.
