Uncategorized

Re- Abia insecurity: govt. playing politics with insecurity – Ex commissioner.

Published

1 year ago

November 19, 2024

csunews

By Editor, Umuahia

Former commissioner for information in Abia state, Chief John Okiyi Kalu has dismissed claims by the state government that the opposition in the state is fueling insecurity.

In a response to the media statement by the special adviser to governor Alex Otti on media and publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, Chief Kalu said that the government was deliberately politicising the growing insecurity in the state.

The response which was contained in a press statement signed by the two time commissioner also attributed the government’s position to “The first major sign of a failing government.”

According to him, the governor would need professional advice on the situation to enable him avoid mistakes that might worsen the situation.

” he needs sound advice from well meaning people across the country before he digs himself and the state further into the insecurity hole.

The state government had on Monday November 18 issued a press statement signed by Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma wherein he wrote;

“following series of tip-off from patriotic citizens and reliable intelligence, it has been firmly established that some unpatriotic politicians, in connivance with some external parties are behind the current wave of violence and crime in the state since the end of May this year.”

Continuing, it said, “Government wishes to strongly warn that anyone that attempts to play politics with the lives and property of innocent Abians should be ready to face the consequences, as government will no longer tolerate such acts, no matter who is behind them.”

But Chief Okiyi in his statement declared, “it is actually the government of Alex Otti that is playing politics with the lives and property of the people of our dear state by failing to realize how unhelpful and crude its statement is in the quest for the search of solutions.

“Similarly, the obvious panic in the statement and resort to politicization of insecurity is also a clear sign of cluelessness and failure to understand how to effectively manage insecurity and ultimately improve the wellbeing of our people.

The former aide to ex governor Okezie Ikpeazu, advised governor Alex Otti to seek direction and help from his predecessors who at one time or the other witnessed an upsurge of insecurity during their reign.

Below is the recommendation from Chief Okiyi to the government:

“Mr Governor, kindly take note of the following:

1. Every preceding administration in Abia State faced multiple security challenges which were managed without attempting to politicize them. The leaders of those administrations simply understood that a crime is committed by a criminal whose ethnic, religious, and political affiliations, if any, are inconsequential.

2. Collaboration with citizens yields valuable information that helps to root out criminals and those citizens can only provide such helpful intelligence in the absence of real or threatened political and social backlash to them.

3. Working with constitutionally recognized security agencies with the tools to dispassionately investigate crimes and the required socio-political neutrality is the best approach that delivers sustainable solutions to insecurity. Attempting to turn and focus security agencies towards your political opponents is a clear sign of unmitigated failure in leadership.

4. Politically motivated allegations and insinuations do not solve security challenges hence experienced leaders avoid such because it simply allows the real criminals to thrive and multiply while the government engages in shadow boxing with innocent people who ultimately know nothing about the insecurity and are in the main as worried as every other person but ready to offer support to the government.

5. The public posturings and body language of Governor Otti make it difficult for even his allies to provide seemingly contrary but helpful information to his publicly held view as the leader. People tend to tell the leader what he wants to hear and not necessarily the truth simply because he adopted an “Eze Onye Agwalam” (I know it all) approach to leadership.

6. A careful study of security patterns, environment and individuals or groups hitherto associated with perpetrating violent acts yields far more solutions than political name calling in managing insecurity in our state. During the administration that preceded that of Otti, we experienced far more security challenges than what he is grappling with today (with his obvious incompetence), yet it was all tackled without politicization and Abia ended up being recognized as the safest state in the South East region and among the top 3 in Nigeria. Governor Otti inherited the security architecture and only needed to improve on it.

7. Governor Otti is currently receiving the highest amount of money as security votes in the history of Abia State and the south east region yet he is wrongly parceling off his leadership failures to unnamed “opposition” while entertaining himself with money meant to support security services in our dear state. It is time to ask him to name those politicians in the opposition that are responsible for insecurity in Abia so that they can defend themselves before appropriate security agencies.

Finally, let me point out that Abia State was not created in May 2023 as Governor Alex Otti has tried to convince himself. Others before him efficiently managed the state with eyes on the ball and achieved great outcomes like improvements in security, youth employment and infrastructural development without having half of the resources now placed at his disposal.

His personal attitude to leadership is at the heart of his failures and recourse to make-believe governance that the opposition is railing against. I strongly doubt there is anyone in the “opposition“ that will benefit from unleashing insecurity on our people for political gains. Indeed, to the best of my knowledge, nobody benefits from insecurity apart from criminal elements whose gains are usually short lived as the law ultimately catches up with them. Otti is merely distracting himself with his public statements that lack substance and empirical basis. Governor Alex Otti must be reading the newspapers he buys with millions of tax payers money every month and must have seen that other states in the south east region are also facing similar security challenges as Abia.

I am yet to read Governors Chukwuma Soludo and Peter Mbah of Anambra and Enugu States, respectively, blame their political opponents for it even though the situation seems much more dangerous in those states.

I therefore strongly recommend that Governor Otti comes down from his high horse and go for peer tutorials to help him understand how to manage insecurity without politicization.Insecurity affects everyone and indeed nobody benefits from it. It does not even help to change political outcomes as the history of our nation and neighboring states have proved, hence, no sane person will seek to use it for political gains.

That Governor Alex Otti is bent on this ill advised politicization of insecurity is the surest sign of unfitness for office he has shown so far and it is important to help him quickly change course through this public advice: treat criminality as criminality and politics as politics for the sake of our people. Our Governor, please do not set up the state for crimes to flourish through chasing political shadows while real criminals thrive and expand their operational territories within our beloved state.

Change course by repudiating your ill advised statements, pass all relevant information to the security authorities for verification and co-opt all citizens, including former leaders of Abia State, to help you fight off the current upsurge in crimes.Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones. Hopefully, Governor Alex Otti will wake up from his “sleeping slumber” to genuinely enlist the support of all citizens to protect our people in line with his oath of office. Nobody is happy that our state is facing this heightened insecurity and we must all genuinely help an otherwise clueless government.

Human angle

From Dilapidation to Dignity: The Mercy Anosike story

Published

1 week ago

March 8, 2026

csunews

Stephanie Clems, Umuahia

Mrs. Mercy Anosike might have still been living in her shacks had help not met her a few months ago.

Mrs. Anosike’s living condition was reportedly deplorable until a journalist, Emma Nwazue of Afia TV brought it to the attention of the governor during a media chat in Umuahia where the governor ordered an immediate intervention.

Confronted by challenges of widowhood and childlessness after the loss of all her children, Mrs. Anosike continued to trudge on not knowing what the future held for her.

However, fate smiled at her and her situation changed for good with the construction and furnishing of a bungalow by the Abia state government.

Residents of her village, Ukome in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State could not contain their joy as they showered encomiums on the wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, for donating a fully furnished three-bedroom apartment to the widow.

During the commissioning and handover of the house, Mrs. Otti described Mrs. Anosike’s story as one of remarkable strength and resilience.

According to her, Mama Anosike lost her children and was left alone, yet despite the painful challenges she faced, she has continued to remain a beacon of hope within her community.

.Mrs. Otti was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Maureen Aghukwa,.

According to her the story of the woman’s poor and difficult living conditions elicited compassion from the governor who immediately directed that she be moved out of her dilapidated home and provided with a new, comfortable residence.

She disclosed that through her office, support had continued to reach widows and other vulnerable persons across the state, giving them a renewed sense of belonging and care.

“This house is a testament to our commitment and a tangible expression of our efforts to empower women and support vulnerable groups in Abia State,” she said.

In her remarks, the Deputy Mayor of Umuahia North Local Government Area, Mrs. Chinwe Odoemelam, commended the wife of the governor for her compassion and dedication to the welfare of vulnerable members of society.

She also enjoined the community to reciprocate the gesture by supporting the administration of Governor Alex Otti, while appealing to the government to consider addressing some of the community’s challenges, particularly in the area of road construction.

For Miss Patricia Ngborogwu of Flo FM radio , she expressed relief and fulfilment that her foundation provided succour at some point for Mrs. Anosike and commended Governor Otti for his swift and compassionate response when the matter was mentioned to him.

Patricia stated that the governor’s action was a demonstration that responsive leadership and empathy can bring real transformation to people’s lives.

“The beneficiary, Mama Mercy Anosike, in her response expressed gratitude, saying the gesture feels like a dream. She praised Governor Otti for promoting inclusive governance and remembering the less privileged in the society.

News

APC state Congress: Aguoru emerges Publicity Secretary as OMPAN felicitates

Published

2 weeks ago

March 4, 2026

csunews

Stephanie Clems, Umuahia

Following the emergence of Chief Uche Aguoru as the publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Abia state from the Congress held on Tuesday, 3rd March, 2026, bloggers under the auspices of the Abia Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN) in Abia has congratulated him on his new position.

Chief Aguoru emerged like other members of the state working committee through a harmonised list of stakeholders across the 17 LGAs of the state which also has Hon. Chijioke Chukwu as the new party chairman of the state.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Public Relations Officer of the Association, Comrade Loveday Chidi, OMPAN expressed confidence in Chief Aguoru’s capacity to effectively project the image and ideals of his party, noting that excellence and professionalism remain core principles of the association.

“On behalf of the State Chairman and the entire membership of OMPAN, we extend our warm congratulations to one of our own, Chief Uche Aguoru, on his election as the State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Abia State.

“We have no doubt that he will diligently and competently discharge the responsibilities entrusted to him,” the statement read.

The statement further reaffirmed the continued support of the association’s leadership, under the chairmanship of Chief Promise Uzoma Okoro, to members who distinguish themselves in their respective organizations and spheres of influence.

OMPAN assured Chief Aguoru of its goodwill and institutional support as he assumes his new responsibilities.

News

Abia government to collaborate with UNDP On second edition of Jubilee fellows program which aligns with administration’s vision

Published

1 month ago

February 6, 2026

csunews

By Editor, Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, has assured of the readiness of his administration to collaborate with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme 2.0.

He has also said that his government was not taking the issues of the development and empowerment of Abia youths for granted, hence, the willingness to collaborate with the federal government and UNDP to further empower the youths.

Governor Otti stated this on thursday, February 5th, i, when he received a delegation of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Coordination – Office of the Vice President Akubo Adegbe and the UNDP team who paid him a working visit to seek the state’s formal participation in the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0.- the support and preferred areas of interest to engage Abia youths.

Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0 is a flagship Federal Government youth employment initiative coordinated by the Office the Vice President and implemented with UNDP, with funding from the European Union.

Established in 2022, NJFP provides 12‑month paid placements for young graduates across public, private, and civil society sectors.Governor Otti described the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0 as a programme that aligns perfectly with his vision for the development of the youths in the State.

The number one citizens of the state said that his areas of preference for the collaboration and investment are, the digital space, creative economy, energy, and leadership, informing the delegation that his government has empowered many youths with digital skills through the TechRise programme, which has trained and graduated over 1,359 Abia Youths and the Abia leadership Academy too which has trained and graduated about 1000 Abia youths..”We are not taking the issue of the Youths lightly. That is why I said maybe you had a peep into what we were doing. So, this aligns strategically with our own thinking. “The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme 2.0 sounds to me like a programme that was adopted from here, because even before you came, we already had started doing something.

“”There’s a programme we call the Techrise programme, where we train our young people. The first set that we graduated were about 510. “And then the second set, Techrise 2.0, we graduated 849. It was actually supposed to be 850, but toward the end of the programme, we lost one of the students. And it’s all about digital economy, “and, if you ask me what is the preferred area, I would say digital economy first and then the creative economy, energy, and then a few other areas that our people are interested in,” he said.

The governor equally noted that he introduced Leadership Academy for young people and the programme has ran 2 streams and graduated about a thousand young people, informing the delegation that another set would soon commence for the year.

Governor Otti, who assured that he would be glad to work with the team, directed the Principal Secretary and Chief Strategy Officer of the Government, Mr Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, to work with the team. He said that he believes that after graduating from tertiary institution, the graduates should get integrated into the wider society and become useful.

“I’ve always also held the view that after the gown, you need to integrate it with the town. You know, the town and gown. “Go and learn something in school. So, you come out, and then you can now decide what you want.

“There should be that integration between the town and the gown,” Gov. Otti said.

Earlier, the team lead of the UNDP, Innocent Ejolu, said that they were in the state to discuss how Abia can scale and sustain youth employment strategically, transparently, and with speed.

He disclosed that the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme is a flagship initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria, funded by the European Union, implemented by UNDP, with political and strategic leadership from the Office of the Vice President.

He said that the programme is a “new phase designed to deploy 20,000 fellows annually nationwide with deeper skills, smarter matching, and stronger retention.

“We’ve placed over 14,000 young Nigerians across all the 36 states and the federal capital territory.

“With Abia’s co-investment, we can scale from hundreds to nearly thousands of fellows, build a pipeline of future civil servants and entrepreneurs, and unlock private capital for human development,” Mr Ejolu stated.

Contributing, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Coordination and Delivery, Office of the Vice President, Mr Akubo Adegbe, while commending the leadership that Governor Otti has provided in the power sector and other sectors of the economy, noted that many national programmes have come and fizzled out in the past, hence, the Vice President has insisted that the programme should be domesticated to align with the visions of the State.

“The only way to make sure it does not follow the path of programmes that have come and gone is to ensure that the implementation of the programme is domesticated.

“We redesigned this 2.0 to better reflect the needs of the people, which is why we are having this conversation, to ensure that the redesigned 2.0 is sustainable,” Adegbe said.

Mr Adegbe, who disclosed that the programme is designed to deploy 20,000 fellows at the minimum across the country every year, made three key requests, including; the Governor’s political support for the programme, his contribution to the basket fund and choice of sectors the Governor thinks would work better for the people of the State.