By Steve Oko
AHEAD of the 2027 general elections, Abians with governorship ambition have initiated subtitle moves and behind-the-scenes activities towards realizing their dream.
Political realignments are already going on with key players strategising and repositioning themselves for triumph
Although nobody has openly declared interest in the Abia top job, a close look at the body language of some indicate that they are interested in challenging and stopping the re-election of Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party, LP.
Some of the faces and chances of Abia governorship contestants in 2027 include:
Alex Otti
The incumbent Governor Otti came to power in 2023 on the mantra of change. The general disenchantment and frustration arising from the performances of the then Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led administration, paved the way for him.
Apart from the popular ‘Obi wave’ which also contributed in dislodging the PDP, Abians desperately needed a change, and saw in Otti qualities they felt were needed to change the narrative and usher in a new order.
Nearly two years down the line, Otti does not seem to have disappointed the majority of Abia populace although some of his critics still believe he should quit. His performances in virtually all the frontiers, especially the massive infrastructural transformation going on in the state, have consolidated his chances for a second tenure.
Some of his signature projects include the reconstruction of the long abandoned Port Harcourt Road Aba, now nearing completion; expansion of Umuahia main entrance road to a six-lane road; reconstruction of Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Abiriba-Ohafia Road; and Abam-Ndioji-Ndiokereke- Arochukwu road among others.
Similarly, he paid attention to renovation of secondary and tertiary health institutions in the state. The Abia State University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH, Aba which was almost in comatose, has bounced back and regained its lost accreditation. The ongoing reconstruction of 200 Primary Health Centres across the 184 political wards in the state will surely count for him in 2027.
Under Otti’s watch, the Local Governments have been made to work in Abia. The noticeable transformations in virtually all the Council headquarters courtesy of his close monitoring cannot be easily wished away.
Another major selling point of Otti in 2027 will be his decision to clear the backlog of Abia workers’ salary arrears. Otti did not only defray the arrears as he promised during the campaigns but has also consistently paid workers on the 28th of every month. Pensioners were not left out as their accumulated pension arrears for which they had staged protests against past administrations, were also cleared by Otti. These beneficiaries will naturally not hesitate to renew Otti’s mandate in 2027 for continuity.
Gov. Otti’s recent approval of a jumbo pay for traditional rulers from paltry N15,000 that some of them were getting monthly, to N250,000 each, will definitely earn him more support in the communities.
Otti equally made some efforts in the education sector, which has for the first time received a 25 per cent budgetary benchmark. He has declared free and compulsory education up to Junior secondary three, in addition to renovation of public schools and recruitment of more teachers. He has approved imprest for school heads to ensure total abolition of fees.
Odds against Otti
Although Otti’s popularity has been on the rise, some of his critics said he has not done so well, and should be sacked in 2027. His critics accuse him of not being too open about the cost of some of his road projects. They also alleged that due process was not followed in the award of some of the projects.
A major obstacle against Otti’s second term bid is the leadership crisis that has virtually consumed his Labour Party.
The governor, in a recent media parley, claimed that the disagreements in LP had been resolved but the reconciliation needs to be seen. It is not a good signal for the ruling party to have failed woefully in the local council polls in the state. For a ruling party not to be in control of the grassroots should be a source of concern.
Some LP members who worked so hard to deliver the party in 2023, felt “used and dumped” accusing the Governor of working with imported technocrats, most of whom they say, are political neophytes. Some of these embittered persons who felt unrewarded may be waiting to take their pound of flesh in 2027.
The ability of the governor to unite LP and reconcile with some aggrieved gladiators, especially the National Vice Chairman of the party, Ceeckay Igara, may determine the fate of the party in 2027.
In spite of his performance in many sectors, some still grumble that he does not believe in ‘stomach infrastructure’. They want him to scale up in that area but he has consistently said that he did not come on board to share public funds but to judiciously deploy them for the good of all. Some also say Otti does not have a formidable personal political structure that will work for him in 2027 but the governor may be banking on his achievements instead of oiling a congregation of sycophants.
The controversy surrounding the purported forfeiture of gratuities of pensioners when the governor defrayed their backlog of arrears, may be a factor in 2027 if unresolved. Despite growing appeals for the Governor to revisit the Memorandum of Agreement, MoA, signed by the State Government and the state leadership of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Otti has refused to bow to pressure. His opponents may cash in on this to score political points in 2027.
Despite the odds, it may be very difficult for Abians not to renew Otti’s mandate in 2027 considering the capacity he has so far demonstrated in different sectors. Even some notable chieftains of the opposition parties and prominent Abians have openly endorsed him for a second term in office.
Ikechi Emenike
Chief Ikechi Emenike is another APC chieftain most likely to join the governorship race considering his antecedent. The Economist has been a serial contestant but without success.
He has the financial muscle to execute his governorship project should he decide to try again in 2027. He has a lot of dreams to transform the state if given the opportunity. His wife was Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States of America, during President Muhammadu Buhari’s second tenure. Chief Emenike, no doubt has the local and foreign connections needed to move Abia forward. During the administration of Buhari, Chief Emenike was the true face of APC in Abia. He was calling the shots and gave appointments to a lot of people.
His critics say he is strong-willed, unbendable and highly opinionated. But his close allies say he is humble.
However, he is from Umuahia that has produced a governor for eight years, which may count against him in 2027.
Ben Kalu
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, is currently the highest political office holder from the South East geopolitical zone. He is of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Hon. Kalu, is one of the luckiest politicians in Abia and indeed Nigeria, having achieved so much in just a few years of joining politics. He went to the Green chamber in 2019, and has been very vocal. Kalu is sagacious and mixes up well with others, hence his emergence as the Deputy Speaker after his first term. He is believed to be the force behind the orgy of defection of prominent Abia politicians to the APC.
His role in the establishment of South-East Development Commission, SEDC, is a plus for him politically. His ability to pull Nigerians including the Vice President Kashim Shettima, to his Bende country home during the launch of his pet project, Peace in the South-East, PISE-P, spoke volumes of his political clout.
He has also been vocal in the efforts to release the leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He has consistently argued that Kanu’s release would fast-track the return of peace to Igbo land. Kalu, a lawyer by training, has also sponsored many bills and motions in the Green chamber, demonstrating capacity and competence to deliver.
Although the Deputy Speaker has not openly declared interest in the Abia governorship race, some of his utterances and body language suggest he may make himself available to serve in that capacity if the coast gets clear.
Not long ago, he touted the Labour Party, when he said Otti might be the only and last Governor of LP extraction in the state. He was, however, bashed by some LP chieftains, who accused him of eyeing the Governor’s seat. They said the shoe is too big for him.
Assuming he makes up his mind to join the governorship race, pundits believe that he may not have an easy ride. His critics say he has not really achieved so much with his privileged position as the Number 6 Man in the country, a portfolio he often brags about. They say posterity will not forgive him should he fail to use his prime position to attract/compel the Federal Government to fix the Umuahia-Bende federal road which has been in a sorry state for decades.
His critics also believe that apart from his seasonal sharing of palliatives, not much has been recorded with his PISE-P project. It is yet to be seen how much peace has been restored to the zone ever since the project was launched. Some also demand accountability on the donations to the project.
Some believe that Kalu has not quite built enough structure or solidly invested enough in people that could give him the needed mileage to uproot Otti. Although he is smartly trying to build structure under different guises, political watchers believe he is yet to gain the needed state-wide acceptance that could help deliver him as governor.
His strained relationship with his political benefactor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu; as well as the alleged cold war with the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, may work against his governorship ambition.
Besides, he hails from Bende, the only LGA in Abia North that had produced governors for eight years. Equity will definitely not favour Bende when power rotates back to Abia North.
Okey Ahiwe
Okey Ahiwe was the PDP governorship candidate in 2023, and finished second in the race. He hails from the same Isiala Ngwa in Abia Central like Otti He, no doubt, still nurses governorship ambition. Ahiwe, with the strong backing of his political godfather, ex-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, planted his loyalists in the leadership of Abia PDP although the outcome of the party’s congress is still a subject of litigation.
Ahiwe enjoys the support of some PDP faithful, but the leadership crisis rocking the party poses a challenge. Some former chieftains of the party have since defected to other parties.
A major obstacle before him is that many Abians still accuse the PDP, which superintended over the affairs of the state for nearly two decades and four years, of under-developing the state. They do not seem to be ready to trust the party with power any time soon except Governor Otti defects to PDP as some are permuting. Besides, some are afraid that another Ngwa man succeeding Otti who took over from a fellow Ngwa will give the clan undue advantage over other clans and political blocs in the state.
Henry Ikoh
Chief Henry Ikoh was commissioner for Industry in Abia, and Minister of State for Science and Technology. He is a chieftain of the APC. He hails from Ahuwa Oboro in Ikwuano LGA, in Abia Central district as Governor Otti. The industrialist is a household name in Abia politics having aspired severally to be Governor under different political parties before joining the APC. His company, Harmony Foam has since bounced back after some challenges. He is also into the hospitality industry, and has the financial muscle to execute his political ambition, if he decided to run.
Chief Ikoh popularly known as Akanchawa and Ozulumba is a likable fellow. He used to have a state-wide political structure, and can easily resuscitate it for the 2027 project.
Although he has also not publicly declared interest, there are obvious indications that he is actually warming up for the APC ticket. Some groups have been beckoning him to accept the persuasion to run for the governorship seat. He has not heeded the calls but he has also not turned them down, thus suggesting that he may be testing the waters. His closeness to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State may work in his favour.
Although Ikoh does not seem to have many enemies in the state, he does not yet seem to command the needed followership to be able to dislodge Otti.
Uche Ogah
Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, former Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Mines and Steel Development, is also of the APC. The Onuaku Uturu-born young billoniare has severally sought the opportunity to oversee the affairs of Abia State without success.
Ogah almost sacked ex-Governor Ikpeazu in 2017 when he was issued with a Certificate of Return by the electoral umpire following a judgment of an Abuja High Court in his favour. Ikpeazu fought back to retain the seat
Ogah has not indicated any interest in contesting again in 2027, and may not contest. He supported Otti in 2023, and has not withdrawn his support for the incumbent. He has applauded some of the achievements of the Governor which according to him, are also in line with his vision for the state.
Political watchers believe that Ogah may have decided to wait for 2031 to allow Otti go for a second term. It is also believed that Ogah is currently the most favoured when power eventually rotates back to Abia North in 2031. Many see him as a governor in the making.
Chief Emeka Atuma
Chief Emeka Atuma, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Ikwuano/ Umuahia federal constituency, is a chieftain of the APC.
Atuma contested the governorship primaries of the APC in 2023 but lost to High Chief Emenike, but was later declared the APC senatorial flag bearer of Abia Central, a declaration that triggered legal fireworks which later ended in favour of Chief Sam Onuigbo.
He recently hosted stakeholders of the party from the constituency and party leaders in the state at his Ntalakwu Oboro Ikwuano palacial home where he made it clear he would be among Otti’s challengers in 2027.
At the gathering, he took a clean sweep of Gov. Otti who he accused of performing below expectations, and vowed to retire him in 2027.
Atuma, ex-lawmaker and a rich contractor, has the political exposure and the deep pocket to execute his governorship ambition.
His philanthropic gestures will also count in his favour although politics is beyond mere philanthropy.
Atuma promised to provide good governance to the people if given the opportunity.
He claimed that under the current LP-led administration, “the governed are blindfolded on the affairs of the state”, and promised to change the narrative.
Describing Otti’s government as “an accidental government”, Atuma promised to bring accelerated development in the state if voted for.
He promised that the APC , if given the opportunity, would “run on transparency, good governance and human capital development when it takes over leadership in Abia State.”
Atuma is energetic and appears ready to showacase his mettle if given the opportunity especially if Emenike his ally decides to throw his weight behind him.
Odds against him
He does not seem to have the statewide followership needed to dislodge Otti assuming he is able to pick the APC ticket.
Some also believe that his party APC does not have the appeal to win governorship election in Abia despite claims by members of the party that it means well for the people.
Another big hurdle for him is that he comes from Abia Central that has been in charge of the state affairs for close to 12 years.
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