Abia LG Polls: Why Mayors, Transition Officials Are Not Contesting

By Suleiman Anyalewechi.

• Governor Otti did not stop us – Mayor Wogu

The Mayor of Aba South Metropolitan Council, Chief Uche Wogu, has strongly rejected claims that Governor Alex Otti is to be blamed for the inability of Transition Chairmen and Mayors to participate  in the forthcoming  Local  Government Polls in the State.

This is even as he informed that the Mayors are solidly behind the Governor in his pursuit of his vision and mission for a new Abia State.

The Source reports that contrary to wide spread expectations, the  Mayors and other serving interim leadership of the various Local Governments were barred from the polls scheduled for November 2 2024.

Before now, expectations were rife that the serving Mayors and Interim Council Officials would form the bulk of the ruling Labour Party  candidates for the election in the State.

However, all the present Council officials  have been dropped from the race, a development which has sent many tongues wagging as to the real motives.

Expectedly, not a few have seen the surprising situation as a sign of disagreement between Governor Otti and his mostly billionaire-Mayors who he had appointed to assist him in driving developmental efforts at the grassroots.

But in an exclusive interview with The Source on Friday October 11, in Aba, Mayor Wogu said the LP-led Government of Abia State and the ranks of the part are as solid as the rock, contrary to insinuations in some quarters.

“For the records, let it be  known that the serving Mayors and other Transition Council officials were prevented from being part of the forthcoming Local Council Election by extant laws.

“There was this law that was enacted in 2002 which expressly barred serving transition council officials from succeeding themselves.

“In 2007, the law was amended and that session was removed.

But in 2014, during the administration of former Governor Theodore Orji, the session was reintroduced.

But unfortunately, in the count down to the preparation for this election, nobody in the system, was able to dictate the situation.

By the time it was noticed, it was already late. This is the real situation that stopped us from contesting the forthcoming polls” Mayor Wogu stated .

According to him, it will be most uncharitable and unfair to blame the situation on the Governor and or any of the officials of the administration.

“I can tell you with authority that the development took the Governor and everybody by surprise. The Governor, much to my knowledge, would have loved to continue exploring the good working relationship  he  has cultivated  with most of the transition leaders.

“The truth is that it is an unfortunate situation ,and much as there is nothing the Governor or anybody can do about it, we are consoled by the fact that Abia has enough capable hands to move it forward”

Chief Wogu noted that despite not being part of  the election, the Transition Council Officials are unrelenting in their support for the Governor and his administration to move the  state to the next. level .

“For me, I am eternally grateful to Governor Alex Otti for giving me the opportunity to serve my people.

“We agreed to join the Governor because of his lofty dreams and visions for the state .

“And today, going by the giant strides so far made in infrastructural renewal, and the repositioning of the State generally, I am happy to be part of the system .

“Although I’m not speaking for other Mayors, but I can tell you with all sense of responsibility that my colleagues in other Councils are happy to be part of the Abia renewal project of Governor Otti.

“We are happy with the positive direction the state is going at the moment ,and I want to  place it on record that ,we the transition Council leaderships are ever ready to go along with the Governor in his unwavering efforts at0 changing the narrative of the state”, Wogu stated.

He ruled out completely the existence of cracks within, as a result of the exclusion of the Mayors and others from the Local Government race.

He insisted that the  Mayors are ever ready to lend their support and expertise in what other areas they are needed .

“Don’t forget that  these people ( Mayors)   are already accomplished in their various fields of endeavours,but agreed to assist in the task of reinventing the state .

“Their acceptance (Mayors) to serve in the first instance was  sacrifices on their parts. I can tell you that when called upon to serve in other capacities they will gladly do so again.

Reason being that they are convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that they are dealing with a sincere and purposeful arrangement

But because propaganda is part and parcel of politics ,people are free to insinuate whatever they like ,particularly in the present case of the exclusion of the Mayors and others from the local Government election.

Again ,let me repeat ,Governor Alex Otti,and or  any officials of his administration are not to be blamed for the inability of us ,the transition committee members to be part of the contest .

It is a situation himself ( the Governor)  is even surprised at . But like I said earlier, the good thing is that ,we have more than enough reservoir of talents,committed and dedicated persons to step in and carry on with the job . And that is exactly what the LP as a  party has done .

And I believe that after November 2, the people that will emerge will join in the task in driving the new Abia of our dream ” Mayor Wogu enthused.