Governor Alex Otti of Abia on Sunday affirmed his commitment to fulfilling his campaign promises to the people of the state.
Otti said this at a thanksgiving mass in his honour at the Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia to appreciate God for his victory at the Supreme Court on Friday.
He urged the people of the state to keep praying for his government, promising that he would not disappoint them.
He said: “You should continue to pray for us. Remember us in your prayers, day and night.
“And our commitment is that we will not disappoint you.”
The governor attributed his Supreme Court victory to God’s divine intervention and daily prayers by the Church.
He said that in appreciation of the support he received from the Church during the campaigns, he hurried down to the Cathedral to thank God soon after INEC declared him the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
“We may have fought hard, we may have been resilient, we may have worked very hard but if God did not sanction it, I will not happen.
“We have, therefore, come here to thank God, thank the men and women of God, thank the children of God that are here,” Otti said.
The Abia chapter of the Nigerian Legion also marked this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the mass.
In a brief speech, the Chairman of the group, Commander Ambrose Nnabugwu (rtd.), said that posterity would be kind to Otti for what he had done for Nigerian Legion and the people of Abia.
Nnabugwu paid special tribute to the governor for his quality leadership and taking care of the welfare of the group.
In a remark before the homily, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, Most Rev. Michael Ukpong, said that God gives victory and that the governor recognised that fact.
“This knowledge is important for the continuous success of the administration,” Ukpong said.
He said that he was not surprised that “God through the Supreme Court affirmed your election because He does not give blessings and withdraw the blessings”.
“Don’t forget that the God, who has given you victory, will demand your stewardship.
“I must say, so far, the people of Abia are happy with your government.
“Now that every other obstacle has been removed, we have the right to get every dividend of democracy,” the cleric said.
In a vote of thanks, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Henry Maduka, thanked the governor for choosing to hold the thanksgiving service at the cathedral.
Maduka said that many residents that believe in him had prepared to take to the streets in protest, if the apex court had nullified his election.
The clergyman said, “You are the first governor with a First Class to govern Abia, so I expect that everything you do as governor of Abia will be first class.”
He commended Otti for paying workers’ salaries every 28th day of the month, embarking on massive road infrastructure and zero-pothole programme in Umuahia and Abia, among other landmark projects.
The governor was accompanied to the mass by his wife, Priscilla, Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Lilian Abai, members of Abia House of Assembly, Service Chiefs and top government functionaries, among other dignitaries.
