Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said the future leadership of the state should be entrusted to young, trained and capable citizens rather than political godfathers and contractors.
Otti made the statement on Thursday at the Labour Party office in Umuahia while receiving the 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ngozika Gladys Johnson Chukwunenye, who joined the Labour Party.
The governor said he expected his successor to emerge from among young people who have been properly trained and equipped to provide leadership. He stressed that he did not intend to become a political godfather and said his administration would not be controlled by individuals seeking to influence government decisions.
“What I can assure you is that when I am done, the person that will succeed me will be better than me. I don’t want to be a godfather, and I don’t tolerate godfathers,” Otti said.
He also said some opposition politicians criticising his administration in the media were allegedly doing so because he rejected proposals they brought to him.
According to Otti, his administration was elected by the people of Abia and therefore would not be distracted by political attacks or pressure from any group.
The governor urged members of the Labour Party not to be intimidated by opposition statements, saying his administration had made progress in addressing infrastructure challenges in Aba and Umuahia and was extending development to communities in the hinterlands.
Otti further argued that leadership opportunities should not be restricted to a particular group, noting that there were other young people with the training, skills and capacity to contribute to the development of the state.
