Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has assured Abians of increased speed in driving development across the State as he moves towards the third year of the first tenure of his administration, urging Abians and residents not to lose hope because the best is yet to come.

Governor Otti stated this on Sunday at the Methodist Theological Institute (MTI), Mission Hill, Umuahia, where he went to worship God in the Beauty of His Holiness in his usual way of going to Church unannounced.

Addressing the joyous congregation who warmly received him, the Governor thanked them for their continued support before, during, and after the elections. The Governor recalled how Most Rev. Dr. Raphael Chibuzo Opoko, the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia Archdiocese, and other senior anointed men of God, and all those who were concerned, fervently prayed for God’s intervention in the State and also put in their physical efforts to ensure that change happened.

The number one citizen of the State said that he has now stabilized things, having started from sub-ground zero, as his administration inherited a Government that was in a total mess.

Using the analogy of road construction, where you have to start excavating to remove the bad soil to get to a stable soil, like the situation that was met at Port Harcourt Road, Aba, Governor Otti said, “I can assure you that we’ve got to a stable soil. The speed with which we ran in the first two years will increase as we move towards the third year.”

Speaking further, Dr. Otti said, “I want to encourage you not to lose faith or hope; the best is yet to come. This is our State; it is our responsibility to rebuild it. If we don’t do it, nobody else will do it. And, we are fearless about it. We don’t care whose ox is gored once we are doing the right thing.”

“One thing you can take away, I have always said it, this is a Government that will not deliberately do the wrong thing. But, when we make a mistake, we will come back, correct ourselves, and apologize,” Dr. Otti added amidst applause from the congregation.

The preacher of the day, Very Rev. Nnaemeka Ndubuwa, Ph.D, described Abia as God’s Own State and Governor Otti as God’s servant chosen by God himself to fix Abia. He commended the Governor for his good works in the State.

In a sermon titled “Don’t lose heart,” drawing his key Bible from Luke 18:1, where Jesus Christ encouraged believers to “pray and not lose heart or faith, Rev. Ndubuwa said that Prayer is the live wire of every Christian, urging Christians to imbibe prayer as a lifestyle. He said that through prayers, we communicate with God, and “Communication is not complete until there is feedback,” he added as he admonished the congregation to always pray in obedience to the will of God as they expect answers to their prayers.
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Archbishop Chibuzo Opoko, who led the Church into congregational prayers for the Governor, his entourage, and the State, told Governor Otti not to worry about the tantrums of the opposition, saying that a fruitful tree attracts stone.

Governor Otti was joined in the worship by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, Chief of Staff, Past Caleb Ajagba, Ph.D, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, the Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu, the Special Assistant on Religious matters, Apostle K.C. Wiper, among other top Government functionaries, including the Mayors of Umuahia North and Umuahia South LGAs.

Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
19-10-2025.