Alex Otti, a governorship aspirant in the 2023 general elections says he is joining the governorship race to address infrastructure decay in Abia, accusing PDP of wasting 24 years in power.

Mr Otti, contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told journalists about his gubernatorial ambition on Wednesday after picking the nomination and interest forms in Abuja.

According to him, Abia needs a person with the requisite skills, training and competence to save it from a complete collapse.

Mr Otti, ex-managing director of the defunct Diamond Bank, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia had not done enough in the state.

“If you have been following my politics, you will understand that this is not the first time that I am coming out to run. I ran in 2015 on the platform of APGA. In 2019, I tried again and it didn’t go well,” Mr Otti explained. “If you know what is happening in Abia, the level of infrastructural decay, the level of debts and the amount of money being owed to contractors and civil servants and pensioners, then you will realise that Abia needs to be rescued and that is why I am here.”

He noted that a lot of people were showing interest. 

“I found out that three more people have picked their forms and I believe that it’s going to be an interesting race and at the end of the day, I know that the people of Abia will make the right choice,” added Mr Otti. “PDP knows that they are on their way out,  they know in their heart when they look at what they have done to the state in the last 24 years.”

Slamming the ruling party in Abia, Mr Otti said he was sure, “they would have given themselves a quit notice.” 

“In fact, this last administration had signed off on that quit notice because they actually did not do anything. I do not have any fears but of course, when you go into a race, it is either you win or you lose,” stressed the former banker. “When you have great chances of winning, then you should not entertain fears, I am sure I will get it.”

Mr Otto said Abia people would prefer a leader with capacity to address infrastructure decay in the state and recommended that the APC should adopt either direct or indirect mode of primary elections for choosing candidates.

He also called for unity in Abia APC to enable the party win the 2023 governorship election, urging the party faithful to stand against interest groups trying to balkanise the party. 

(NAN)