Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has declared his unwavering support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, noting that the President’s bold decisions align with long-standing views he has consistently expressed, particularly on fuel subsidy removal.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by former Governor of Abia State and current Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, Governor Otti emphasized that while there may be areas of disagreement, the President’s approach to economic management is one he has championed for years.
“We agree on so many issues, and naturally, we know where we differ,” Otti stated. “But on the economy, what Mr. President is doing has always been my position. I’ve written about it for years. People should go back and read my columns in ThisDay during the COVID-19 period—when I said it was time to remove fuel subsidy because even crude off-takers were rejecting shipments. It takes courage to make that move.”
The Governor described Nigeria’s past economic approach as “irresponsible,” insisting that the difficult times the country is facing are the consequences of overdue corrections. “We’ve misbehaved for too long. Now, we’re paying the price—but if we stay the course, we will get it right,” he said.
On the matter of state governance, Governor Otti praised his predecessors while making it clear that his focus is on progress, not blame.
“I don’t dwell on what went wrong. We’ve hit the reset button and moved on. Governance is a continuum—you may lose track, but you must go back and recover it,” he explained.
He referenced the infrastructural model adopted during Orji Kalu’s administration, particularly in Aba, as a template his government is building upon. “Fix the revenue-generating areas first; the rest will follow,” he said.
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In his remarks, Senator Kalu hailed Governor Otti for transforming the road infrastructure in Abia State. He described his journey from Igbere to Umuahia as smooth, noting that the once three-hour trip now takes less than an hour.
“You’ve done well for our state,” Kalu said. “You are my brother for life. Whether you’re contesting or not, brotherhood remains. I will continue to support you.”
He also extended gratitude to the Commissioner for Works for rehabilitating key roads and urged Governor Otti to maintain close ties with President Tinubu—stressing that it was not a call to abandon his political affiliation but a move for strategic collaboration.
Joining in the commendation, Senator Chris Adighije said he is proud of his support for Otti and would continue to stand by him. “This is beyond party politics—it’s about the development of Abia,” he remarked.
Both senators praised President Tinubu for his performance at the national level and called on Governor Otti to offer his full support for the President’s administration.