Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has extended what the state called the olive branch to the opposition political parties in the state, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), asking them to join forces with him in the task of rebuilding Abia.
This came after Otti floored the two political parties before the election petition tribunal sitting in Umuahia, which affirmed his election as the duly elected governor of Abia State.
Governor Otti said this is a good time for the opposition parties to sheath their swords and join hands with him to develop the state, his chief press secretary Kazie Uko quoted him as saying.
Otti dedicated the victory to Abians, especially his teeming supporters in the state.
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“My advise to my opponents is that this is a good time to sheath their swords and join hands with me to develop our state, Abia.
“Anyhow you slice and dice it, it costs a lot of money to engage in litigation. while I will not ask them to bring the money to me, I would advise that each of them have villages that are dilapidating; without roads, without water, and I believe that their communities will appreciate it if they would channel those resources to building roads in their villages and communities,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Governor Otti said the resources spent by his opponents in prosecuting the litigation could be used in providing pipe-borne water and ensuring that Abia remains peaceful for the benefit of its residents.
He said that the victory should not have been contested in the first place and expressed joy that the wishes of the people have come to pass.
“If you follow the election and everything that happened thereafter, you would know that quite frankly this victory shouldn’t have been contested in the first place, but then, i also do not deny my opponents their rights to go to court,” the Governor stated.
He thanked the jurists and all those who ensured that justice prevailed in the end. The Governor also thanked God for the victory and pledged to continue to serve Abians diligently, describing the victory as a reflection of the sacrifice made by Ndi Abia in the 2023 Governorship election.
The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Umuahia, had earlier on Friday dismissed the petitions of the PDP and APC, and their candidates, Okechukwu Ahaiwe and Ikechi Emenike, respectively, challenging the electoral victory of Governor Otti of the Labour Party (LP).
The three-member panel in about seven-hour judgment, struck out the petitions for being incompetent and lacking in merit.
The judgment, which was delivered inside the Federal High Courtroom under heavy security, sparked off spontaneous jubilation among the populace in the streets of Aba, Umuahia, and across the state, similar to the events of March 22, 2023, when Governor Otti was declared the winner of the governorship election by INEC.
