In the ongoing Abia State Local Government election, Governor Alex Otti, along with his wife, cast his vote on Saturday, at Unit 017, Ahiafor, Umuru-Umuehim Nvosi in Isialangwa South Local Government Area at exactly 12:19 p.m.
Governor Otti, in an interview with THE WHISTLER after casting his vote, shared his thoughts on how the election was going.
โStarting from here, you can see that everything is peaceful and people are coming out, voting, and leaving. So I believe, like you can see, that itโs peaceful. Now, Iโve also been monitoring what is happening in the other local governmentsโ polling units, about 4,062 of them, and the report I get is that everything has been peaceful and smooth, except a few skirmishes in places like Ohafia and Obingwa.
As soon as we got information that some people were trying to disrupt the election, we mobilized security men and theyโve brought everything under control. So I believe all is going well so farโ, he remarked.
Governor Otti has always encouraged Abia voters to prioritize candidatesโ credibility and competence over party affiliation. When asked if he believes the election results will align with this call, he said, โAlright, so the point remains that political parties are platforms for running elections. And like you would notice, a lot of political parties have problems, but irrespective of problems that they have, we have advocated that people should vote candidates that are credible, that have competence, that can deliver.โ
He gave an example of the mayor of Aba North, who recently completed an administrative building within 11 months of appointment. This, he said, shows the importance of voting for leaders who can bring real progress.
โI believe that the outcome of the election would synchronize with that call that Iโve been making. Because people have also been talking about it, saying they are going to vote people who have capacityโ, Otti expressed in confidence.
The governor did not fail to remind voters of the impact of their decisions, noting the importance of electing capable leaders at the grassroots level.
โItโs a local government election, so we all know our people, we know ourselves. So if you go and vote the wrong candidate, then you should be ready to also deal with the outcome of the choice you are making today,โ he said.
As the Abia Local Government election continues, the Governor is hoping for a peaceful and democratic process that will bring about responsible leaders at the local level while still believing in his people to make the right choices.