Otti Blasted For Revenging Against Past Governors

Governor Alex Otti has been accused by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Abia state chapter of using the pension law as a personal revenge against former state governors and deputy governors.

This was contained in a statement by its Acting state publicity secretary, Elder Amah Abraham. Recall that the governor abolished the state law last week that provided pensions to past deputy governors and governors

According to the party, it is incomprehensible that Governor Otti, who has not given pensions to any of his predecessors, would act so swiftly to repeal the law, if not only to boost his ego, present himself as a saint, and purchase inexpensive fame.

The party further stated that there is no proof that the funds saved by not paying past governors and deputy governors’ pensions have been applied to settle pension arrears due by retirees and civil officials to the government.

The party reminded Otti that the National Assembly had approved the pension law allowing former presidents to remain in office. They also clarified that a governor who truly cared about the state would have changed the law to remove any provisions that offended them. They emphasized that a complete repeal of the law might encourage a governor to take care of himself while in office because the state would not support him in old age.

It said; “The Abia PDP has reasons to believe that Alex Otti is using his office to pursue personal vendetta against the former governors as shown in this singular act which has not added any value to the Abia treasury.

“Let us assume that the said pension law and some of its letters are outrageous as it is being portrayed in the public to buy cheap popularity, there is no evidence that the money saved from the non-payment of pension to former governors has been used to offset the pension arrears of Abia pensioners even many civil servants are still being owed.

“Since the news made its debut, all the former governors through their spokespersons have come out to disclaim having received any pension from the State governor since he assumed office.

“So, it beats our understanding why a governor who has not paid pension to his predecessors would quickly rush to repeal the law if not to massage his little ego and portray himself as a patron Saint when he is not. 

“So, what is the whole hullabaloo of the repeal of the pension Law all about if not to shore up a popularity which many Abians have come to see as empty and an enterprise on the pages of newspapers and social media.

“It has become a penchant for governor Alex Otti to go into overdrive in his quest for vendetta and this has been displayed in reckless ways that do not even add any political value to his person.

“Ordinarily, a man of good conscience who means well for a society of humans would have amended the law to purge any section or sections of the said law which he deems outrageous or inordinate.

“By outright repeal, is Alex Otti telling Abians that a person who serves Abia State for either four or eight years in such high capacity and highly demanding position as governor and deputy governor does not deserve a pension, no matter how little, to take care of oneself in old age?

“Is Alex Otti more conscionable than the National Assembly that has allowed the pension of former presidents to stay? Is he telling Abians that a governor should help himself enough while in office because the State would abandon him once he leaves office?

“It is very easy to read through Alex Otti’s desperation for self-glorification because there are other more pressing issues he should address to show that he is interested in good governance.

“The Abia PDP challenges Governor Alex Otti to obey the Local Government Autonomy bill passed by Abia House of Assembly. Why is he more interested in repealing the Pension Law when he has since seized the Local Government seals and centralized inflows from Local Governments? Why did he change the nomenclature of Local Government Chairman to a non-constitutional Mayoral system? Why has he not constituted the House of Assembly Service Commission? His inability to focus on these indicates that he is chasing personal glory at the expense of collective good of the masses.”