‘If Otti had failed in Supreme Court, I wouldn’t be Mayor today, says Ikwuano Mayor, Nwaka
… As he holds thanksgiving
“If Dr. Alex has not succeeded in the Supreme Court, I wouldn’t have been a Mayor today, and most of the people wouldn’t be where they are today.” Those were the words of the Mayor of Ikwuano Local Government Area, Mayor (Evang.) Osinachi Nwaka.
This is even as the Mayor, in strict obedience to the biblical injunction, held a thanksgiving service yesterday, January 27, at the Council to celebrate the Supreme Court victory of the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alexander Chioma Otti OFR.
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court on Friday, January 12, upheld the victory of Governor Otti of Abia State, the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
The panel of the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji affirmed the victory of Alex Otti while dismissing the appeal against his victory in the Abia governorship election.
Abba-Aji declared that the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate in the election against the judgment of the Court of Appeal affirmed the victory of Otti lacked merit.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared that Otti polled 175,466 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP , who scored 88,529 votes in the gubernatorial poll that was held on March 18, 2023.
The victory of Alex Otti of the Labour Party, LP was challenged by the candidate of the PDP, Chief Okey Ahiwe, and his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Ikechi Emenike, who came third separately.
However, in a judgement delivered on October 6, 2023, the Abia State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal dismissed the petitions and upheld Otti’s election victory.
The verdict of the tribunal was affirmed by the Court of Appeal in Lagos, which also dismissed appeals that were entered against Otti by both the PDP and APC candidates.
To this effect, Mayor Nwaka who could not hide his great and immense gratitude organised a service which he tagged: ‘Thanksgiving service for the Affirmation of Dr. Alex Otti’s Mandate and Continued Success’, pointing out that the Court victory of Otti has made it possible for him to remain in the corridor of power, alongside other appointees.
Speaking during the epoch making event which was attracted by top government officials, the Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, commended the people of Ikwuano for their demonstration of love and relentless commitment towards ensuring the victory of Labour Party (LP), in the State.
He urged them to stay joyous, while also waiting anticipatingly for what he described as unprecedented developments in the area.
“Since it pleased you in your hearts to accept Dr. Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, God will bring development you have never witnessed until this time. Ikwuano, you will witness strange developments for this gesture. This we have started already by giving you one of your sons who is very humble and articulate to represent you in the State’s constituency. And then, you also have a Mayor who is People-Oriented, humble and with a zeal to drive the Council to greater heights.
“So, on behalf of the Governor, we want to congratulate and thank the Mayor, the House of Assembly member, Hon. Boniface Isienyi, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Monica Ironkwe and everyone else here.
“The good deed which you have done is for yourselves and Abians, and only God can reward you. We, therefore, enjoin you to remain steadfast in prayers because one who is surrounded by adversaries, always guard oneself. Those who have fought against your growth in the past are still in your midst but our assurance to you is that before two years to come, Ikwuano will be transformed beyond recognition, because light has come to Ikwuano and Abia.
Earlier in his remarks, Mayor Nwaka while presenting a brand new Sienna Vehicle and three motor bikes to the Homeland Security, in his quest to foster security and prevent jungle justice, described the feats achieved by the LP government in the Council barely two months in office, as ‘a tip of the ice berg’.
He maintained that his magnanimous deed towards the lives and property of as shown to the people was borne out of the Governor quest for the provision of adequate security for our people, the first meeting of Mayors with the Governor.
Hear him: “What you see here today was prompted by something. When we the Mayors had our first meeting with the Governor, the first thing he told us to ensure was the security of our environment.
“But, something saddening happened in Ikwuano recently. I was in the office and got a call from Homeland Security and DSS, saying that there was jungle justice somewhere in Amizi Oloko that a young man called Udensi Obinna, 37-years-old was wrongly accused of stealing a phone. No body cared to find out if truly he stole the said phone and he was beating to death and immediately, the phone came out. Truly, my heart bled.
Addressing journalists, Nwaka said:
“Biblically, we have come to thank and worship God Almighty for giving victory to Dr. Alex Otti, OFR at the supreme court. And I drew my injunction from the Bible, when Jesus healed ten lepers and only one came to thank him.
“If Dr. Alex has not succeeded in the Supreme Court, I wouldn’t have been a Mayor today, and most of the people wouldn’t be where they are today. So, I’ve come, not minding that Dr. Alex has thanked God for his victory, I am one of the valued chains and Ambassadors of Dr. Alex Otti. So, I’ve come to thank God so that the success and victory can last.
The Mayor and President of New Era Foundation (NEF), who also used the medium to hand over the Council to God Almighty, regretted that the latter had wallowed in shambles for 24 years, as he bemoaned the years of deprivation and marginalisation meted out to the indigenes by their past leaders and their Umuahia counterpart.
Speaking, he said: “Secondly, I’ve also come to hand over Ikwuano Local Government Area to God Almighty, because for 24 years, there has been a lot of rot and so much deprivation against my people.
“Coming now, after 24 years, I can’t do the magic but I can only thank God in view, so I’ve come to thank God and I’m saying to Him that, as I’m thanking you, I’m handing this Council over to you so you can direct me, lead me and give me wisdom. Solomon was given a nation, a people he didn’t know to manage and he said: “I need wisdom and understanding in order to succeed”. So, also, I’ve come to hand over the Council to Him so that he can direct me. I’m so happy about what has happened today.
Asked what his major challenges since emergence had been, the prominent and foremost Banker who utterly decried the spate of insecurity at the Council on his first day in office, wailed that the Council lacked an Emergency response team which he lamented could jeopardy the lives of the people.
He, however, stated emphatically that having come from the banking sector wherein situations are viewed differently, he stressed that he had been equipped to tactically deduce some proactive measures to tackle whatever posed like a challenge to a layman.
“Anyway, I have come from a financial sector where we don’t see a challenge as a challenge rather a stepping stone. Just like when I came in here, I saw that security gap; there was no response team for any man who had an emergency. To some people, it’s a challenge, but to me, it’s a stepping stone. So, I have to create a solution and so that is why I tell people that I’m not a typical politician rather a political manager who manages both resources and humanity.
Continuing, he said: “So, I had to bring a better solution and that is why I am here; I’m here to discover the gaps; discover those things that are not right and correct them and to give hope to the hopeless just like we demonstrated today that every last Friday of the month, Dr. Alex, through my office will be empowering two special citizens who are either blind, crippled or with any form of disformity.”
Asked other feats he intends to achieve within his three months in office, the visionary leader said:
“In a few weeks or one month to come, you’ll be seeing distribution of transformers, boreholes, we are already grading roads, health centres will be touched, schools will be hugely affected, many empowerments will come. This is just the beginning. It’s a new dawn in Ikwuano.
Earlier in his homily, the presiding Minister, Vr. Revd. U. U. Mmeregini advised Alex Otti and other elected officers under the Labour party, to have faith and confidence in God, saying: “the word of God is saying unto you; Fear not, I am with you, be not dismayed, I am your God.”He advised them to eschew pride and arrogance but pride in God’s grace and power, saying, wealth can fail you but God can’t. He prayed for God’s protection, preservation and prosperity upon the Governor and all the elected and appointed government officials.He described Otti’s victory as God’s mandate for him, while advising that none should allude to the glory because power comes from God.”Some people depended on their wealth and contacts during the elections but this government relied solely on God and that is why they are here and all the glory must go to God.
He lauded Nwaka for recognising the goodness of God in granting a resounding victory to the government of Alex Otti, while describing the former as second to none’ among other Mayors.
“There are only two Mayors in Abia; Mayor Osinachi Nwaka and others. I want to commend the Mayor for holding this thanksgiving service today in the honour of Otti’s victory.
Also, Dr. Monday Ubani, amidst glaring gratitude, thanked God in songs for liberating the state and the local government from prolonged relegation and subjugation, through the Labour Party government.
Moreso, he commended Nwaka for deeming it fit to thank God for His divine intervention at the Supreme Court, while describing him as God’s gift to the Council.
Meanwhile, highlights of the event were launching of Emergency response team and donation of a Sienna Vehicle and motorcycles to Homeholand Security and the presentation of substantial cash gifts to some persons from the council living with disabilities.
Present at the occasion were the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North and South Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Obinna Aguocha; member representing Ikwuano State Constituency, Hon. Boniface Isienyi, Barr. Monday Ubani; Fr Anokwuru Christian Uche, ph.DSpecial Adviser on Policies and Interventions.Others were the Deputy Mayor, Hon. Charles Ugboaja, traditional rulers, Bishops of the Methodist and Rev. Fathers, and Hon. Chukwunenye Nwaogu Alajemba, S. A. to the Governor on Homeland Security, Fire and Emergency Services.
