Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has praised Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, describing him as an “action integrity man”.
Governor Fubara said his Abia counterpart, Governor Otti’s integrity is not artificial but action-driven. He said despite coming in as Governor of Abia in the face of difficulties, Governor Otti was unperturbed as he went about his duties, making life easy for the people of Abia.
The Rivers Governor, much liked by his people, spoke Tuesday during the commissioning of the Aleto-Ebubu-Eteo (Old Bori) Road in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, a project he had invited Governor Otti to commission.
“You are wondering why did I invite the Governor of Abia State? I invited him because he is not an artificial integrity man, he is an action integrity man. He is not a man that will gather to talk because he just wants to talk. He’s a man who came in, in the face of difficulty and challenges, just like we have here; he is making impact in the lives of Abia people.
“I will continue to identify with good governance; I will continue to identify with people who want to make impact in the lives of the people,” Governor Fubara told the people of Eleme.
The PDP governor explained that his administration’s mantra is the people first and that the purpose of embarking on the construction of the Aleto-Ebubu-Eteo Road is to make life better for the people; to let the people know that their problem is the government’s problem; and to give them hope.
He revealed that the road is a bye-pass to the deplorable East-West Road that will take commuters away from the bad portions of the East-West Road and rejoins them to the section of the road that is good.
Speaking shortly before he commissioned the road, Governor Otti thanked the Rivers State Governor for the honour of inviting him to kick off the commissioning of roads to mark his first anniversary in office.
Governor Otti explained that despite his busy schedule, he had no problem coming when the Governor fubara, whom he described as a brother, called him to come for the commissioning.
He congratulated Governor Fubara for executing the road project and for remembering the Eleme people, an area Governor Fubara said he started his career as a civil servant many years ago. He also commended and congratulated him for the great job that he is doing in Rivers State.
“I want to also congratulate him for the great job that he is doing in Rivers State. I have always said it that leadership is service. Any time leadership departs from service, then you are getting it wrong. And, service should be service to the people, not service to a very few interests. Any time you are serving few people rather than the majority, you need to go and look at yourself again.
“So, for me, it is all about good governance and we have collaborated, not today, not yesterday. But for a very long time, we have come a long way. From the time he served under my friend and brother Rotimi Amaechi, even before then he served under Dr. Peter Odili; so he is very grounded. Clearly, he came prepared and I don’t believe that any distraction is enough to take his focus away from the welfare and interest of the people,” Governor Otti told the Eleme community.
Governor Otti urged the people of Rivers State to continue to support Governor Fubara in his service to the State, saying that power belongs to God.
“Anyhow you flip and dice it, power belongs to God. No human being can arrogate to himself the capacity to give power except if you have the capacity to give life. Of course, you can take life but you cannot give it,” Governor Otti affirmed.
On the entourage with Governor Otti for the road commissioning in Rivers State were the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu; Chief of Staff, Dr. Caleb Ajagba; Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday; Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Hon. Iheanacho Obioma; Special Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mazi Ugochukwu Okoroafor; and and some other senior State Government appointees and aides.
KAZIE UKO
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Abia State
Government House, Umuahia
May 14, 2024.
