Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has expressed his willingness to re-evaluate the agreement between his administration and pensioners in the state, despite his previous strong stance against their leadership, ABN TV reports.
The governor made this known during a church service at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia Chapel, held to celebrate the 80th birthday of Senator Chris Adighije.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding pension payments, Governor Otti emphasized the need for honesty and accountability. He acknowledged that pensioners were not paid in 2018 but attributed part of the problem to their leadership.
READ ASLO: Gov. Otti Failing In Campaign Promises, Abia Pensioners Lament (VIDEO)
“I want to thank you for being honest. You can’t agree and later deny it. You can’t also sign and later claim you did so under duress as a senior citizen. I maintain that our senior citizens, our pensioners, are honest people. The problem is their leadership, and this has to do with the association,” he stated.
The governor expressed his displeasure over the leadership’s denial of the agreement after payments had been made, suggesting that they might not have believed the government would fulfill its commitment.
“Even when they were going into an agreement with me, they probably didn’t believe there would be payment, and when I made the payment, they turned to say they didn’t sign, and that angered me,” he said.
However, in response to concerns raised, Otti assured that he would take another look at the matter. “Because you have said it, I will have a second look at it,“ he concluded.
Recall: Otti’s Firm Stance on Pensioners’ Leadership
Governor Otti had previously taken a firm position against the leadership of pensioners in the state, labeling them as “dishonest people” and insisting that his administration would not engage with them on the issue of pension arrears.
Speaking during his monthly media chat, Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians, the governor dismissed calls for further negotiations on the matter, accusing the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) of bad faith and political manipulation.
“Once you start from a dishonest point of view, I cannot deal with you. If you like, twist the equation 100 times, I will not deal with them because they are very dishonest. But the pensioners themselves are happy that they were paid,” Otti asserted.
He alleged that the controversy surrounding pension arrears was politically motivated, blaming the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for fueling the dispute. According to him, even the lawyer representing the pensioners is linked to the PDP, a party that allegedly neglected retirees for years.
“I have investigated it and found that it is the PDP. Their lawyer is a PDP lawyer. Why would they hire someone who owed them for years to now attack the person who is paying them?” he questioned.
Governor Otti maintained that his administration has been consistent in paying pensions fully and on time, adding that those unhappy with their payments are free to return the money.
“If somebody is unhappy that he’s being paid his 100% pension every month, he should return the one that he has been paid and continue wearing black,” he stated.
He further declared that he would not engage in any further negotiations with the pensioners’ leadership, insisting that the matter had been settled.
With his latest statement, however, Governor Otti’s willingness to take a second look at the pension agreement suggests a possible shift in approach, offering hope for further dialogue on the issue.
