Says I was voted to fix Abia and that is what I will do
Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, March 23, 2023
UMUAHIA, Abia, Nigeria – Governor-elect of Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti has said that he will neither victimize nor punish Abians who voted overwhelmingly for him during the governorship election.
Alex Otti who was speaking on Arise News said he was voted to come and fix Abia, adding “ that is what I will do”.
The soft spoken former banker said he is already in touch with the banks on what he wants to do in terms of debt forgiveness if possible and access to loans to inflate the economy which he said is already comatose.
Otti said he will pay salaries owed before December 2023 and that he will also issue bond in other to flag off development of the state.
He said though the current Internally Generated Revenue, IGR has been put at N30 billion, he said that the number could easily be doubled if the right thing is done. He said what has been done all the while is to reward those who have assisted them during the election with collection of taxes but that this will change.
He said he will introduce technology to drive the process adding that those who chase people about with thugs in the quest for collection of taxes end up shooting themselves in the foot and believes that technology will do the magic.
He said he will not pursue anybody to enable him to focus on the job. He said he will set up transition committee for his inauguration and that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has congratulated him but that even before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC declared him winner, the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA had congratulated him and urged INEC to declare him winner of the election.
Alex Otti said the governor also urged parties not to go to court so as not to disrupt the job of developing the state. He said almost all the candidates have congratulated him except that of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
He said he will create wealth so that Abians will be able to pay tax willingly and that raising revenue is actually not the first thing to do when a government comes into place. He said employ competent people in government. Earlier, he said that he will create a Ministry for Aba, the commercial capital of Abia State.
