Ibeneme: Otti Poised to Meet High Expectations of Abia People

A United States-based engineer and member of Abia State Advisory Council and Diasporan Commission, Bob Ibeneme, in this virtual interview with Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo, speaks on the burning desire of Abia Diasporans to assist Governor Alex Otti realize his vision for a New Abia.

It is over a year since a new government came on board in Abia State. How do Abia people in Diaspora perceive the administration of Governor Alex Otti?

A – Before Dr. Alex Otti’s emergence as the Governor of Abia State, he was already quite popular with the Abia Diaspora community.

In 2014, when he announced his intention to contest the governorship election, he understood the importance of the Diaspora community and actively sought their support. Supporting Otti was easy because he was the most qualified, experienced, and prepared candidate for the position. Although he won the 2015 election with a landslide victory, we all knew what happened to the mandate given to him by the Abia people.

In 2019, he made another attempt, and the Diaspora community supported him once again. By 2023, with the intervention of principled individuals like Professor Nnenna Otti, and the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the mandate was safeguarded from the die-hard political class who sought to cling to governance indefinitely. Otti has a robust support base among the Diaspora, including the popular Diaspora Alliance for Good Governance group, which comprises top Abia Diasporans who are well-accomplished and distinguished in their respective fields. These individuals came together to give him massive support.

So, I can confidently say that Abia Diasporans are very happy with the governor’s performance since he took office. Many of us now walk with our shoulders high because the governor has proven that our decision to support him over the years was indeed the right one.

When Governor Otti won the election, the Diaspora Alliance for Good Governance installed billboards at strategic locations across Abia that read, “It is a New Abia, Keep the Faith, and Stay Strong.” This demonstrates the extent of belief and confidence they have in Otti.

Today, across the state, we can all agree that it is indeed a New Abia, with significant changes from the old norm. The faith of Abians in the leadership of Dr Alex Otti has been magnified.

Are there specific policies and programmes already put in place by the Governor to justify your optimism of a New Abia emerging through the Otti administration?

Consider the civil service reforms: Governor Otti ended the core and non-core workers dichotomy, ensuring prompt payment of salaries and fair treatment of all workers, regardless of political affiliation and whether they work in ministries or parastatals. Now, Abia civil servants are more motivated than ever before. I receive commendation text messages from Abia civil servants in my constituency, praising the governor. One of them wrote to me about gaining field experience from on-the-job site exposure due to Otti’s policy of using staff in the Ministry of Works for road maintenance.

Also, consider Otti’s appointments: they are all based on merit, equity, and justice. Gone are the days when mediocrity was rewarded with appointments due to political connections. One of the Abia Diasporans who visited Nigeria in May called me upon his return, saying that Aba now looks like a city, clean and not stinking as before.

I had the privilege of joining the governor to flag off the Clean Up Abia program shortly after his inauguration. I witnessed how refuse was dumped on major roads. We all remember how we had to cover our noses to avoid the stench from refuse dumps in the streets of Aba and Umuahia. Today, the Clean-Up Abia policy is changing the narrative of Abia and its major cities.

An infrastructure revolution is underway in Abia State, courtesy of Governor Otti’s administration, and security has significantly improved. It is no longer news that Abia is now becoming the beautiful bride of investors in the Southeast region of Nigeria. These achievements are a result of Otti’s leadership, and the trust people have in him. These milestones are significant, and the Diaspora community is taking note, hence the rising popularity of Otti among the Diaspora.

You were appointed into the Abia Diaspora Commission as one of the commissioners. This is a novelty in Abia, what does it entail?

The Governor in his wisdom, appointed me and four eminently qualified Abians, namely Chief Okey Agbara, who serves as the chairman, Ambassador Dr. Annie Onu-Onwuchekwa, Chief Leon Ibeka, and Professor Ndubuisi Ekekwe, to the Abia State Diaspora Commission. I remain very grateful to His Excellency for this privilege to serve.

As members of the Commission, we are Abia Ambassadors, providing a link for Abians in the Diaspora to participate in the development of Abia State in line with the vision of Dr Otti. It is our duty to leverage the network, skills, knowledge, and experiences of Abians living abroad for the development of Abia State.

In terms of government policies, it is our responsibility to promote these policies within the Diaspora community and ensure their voices and inputs are incorporated into Abia governance.

Can the Commission be able to engender capital inflow into Abia in terms of Direct Foreign Investments (DFI)?

Definitely. We will explore the most attractive and cost-efficient means for capital inflow, investments, and technology transfer by Abians in the Diaspora. We are tasked with promoting cooperation and interaction between Abians in the Diaspora and organizations, as well as state and local authorities. Additionally, we will carry out other duties aligned with the governor’s vision to advance the Commission and develop Abia State.

We will liaise with other relevant government agencies to generate concessions of land for infrastructure or opportunities for Abians in the Diaspora. Presently, the Commission is working on a comprehensive database of Abians in the Diaspora. As I mentioned earlier, we have very competent and well-grounded members in the Commission. Together, as a team, we will serve the Abia State government and the Diaspora community to the best of our abilities.

What’s the level of involvement of Abians staying abroad in the affairs of Abia, their state of origin?

With the emergence of Dr Otti as the Governor of Abia State, we have witnessed a significant increase in the involvement of Diasporans in the affairs of Abia State. The executive cabinet now includes some Diaspora members. Last Christmas, Abia experienced the highest number of Diasporan visits for the holiday season. In the Southeast, we love to celebrate Christmas in our villages, and December 2023 recorded the highest number of visitors.

We also have numerous Abia cultural organizations across the globe eager to engage with the Commission. The level of involvement of Abians in the Diaspora has significantly increased. Members of the Diaspora community are reaching out to the Commission, seeking ways to partner with the state government to develop Abia.

These are all positive signs pointing to better days ahead for Abia State. Leadership is indeed everything. The leadership of Dr Otti has restored hope and confidence in the people of Abia, and that confidence is attracting investors to the state.

In actual terms, can Diasporans really influence things here at home in terms of how people make democratic choices during general election cycles?

This is a very interesting question. There is a common misconception that diasporans cannot influence the outcome of elections in Nigeria, but that is wrong.

I would like to give you an example. During the voter registration and PVC collection periods, our group, the Diaspora Alliance for Good Governance, tasked all our members in the diaspora to mobilize their constituencies to register and collect their PVC voter cards. We came up with a strategy we called “Card to 10K.” What this means is if you register and have your PVC, we will give you N10,000. I can tell you that this worked out very well, and the results were quite impressive.

During the elections, we ensured that our candidate’s manifesto was broken down into our native language and summarized in English with illustrations so that even a layperson could understand the policies and plans of our candidate, Dr Otti. The simplified manifestos were also turned into jingles that played constantly on radio stations. Fliers were shared in churches and markets, and a public address system played the summarized manifesto jingles in busy areas and on market days. We had informative billboards and a strategy we tagged “Weekend to Call,” which means members were expected to call political leaders in their LGAs and try to convince them to support our candidate.

It wasn’t just leaders in Abia; we also tried to engage prominent individuals here in the States who were not showing interest in politics to encourage their people to support our candidate. During the elections period, we organized young graduates in our various wards to conduct voter education on how to thumb print at the Labour Party logo. We also sent delegates from the US who were on the ground to ensure everything went smoothly and to provide us with real-time feedback.

So, if you look at the efforts and analysis, you can agree with me that even though we are in the diaspora, our contribution was very much felt. This is just one example of how individuals and organizations in the diaspora significantly contribute to making democratic choices. It is only an ignorant politician who will ignore the contributions of diaspora groups in Nigerian politics. Our principal understands their role and contribution, and that is why he takes everything about diasporans very seriously, appreciating their efforts toward the growth of the state beyond politics.

With their exposure and experience on how countries are efficiently run by good, visionary leaders, why do Diasporans apparently feel reluctant to contest for elective positions from where they can engender positive changes in Abia and Nigeria in general?

We have had diasporans run and win elective positions in Abia State. The current Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly was a diasporan residing in the US before joining politics. I also understand that the present Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives came from the diaspora. However, to address your question, it is an individual choice. Not everyone is interested in holding elective positions, and indeed, not everyone can be in government.

Some people believe they can contribute significantly from outside the political arena, and that is a valid perspective. Additionally, family structure plays a role; it is not always easy to uproot one’s life and start anew.

We must acknowledge that fact. Furthermore, Nigerian politics is very expensive. Not many people are willing to risk their life savings to enter politics in Nigeria, and that’s a reality we must accept.

In one of his monthly media engagements, Governor Otti announced that he has created Diaspora Estates in Umuahia and Aba. Does this initiative make any meaning to Diasporans?

Absolutely. A master-planned live, work, and play secured community with supporting facilities and amenities like functional hospital/clinic, school, shopping plaza, restaurant, innovation hub, golf course, and tennis court will be a delight to many diasporans and elite citizens in Abia. This is similar to what they are accustomed to in the Western world, and I am sure many people will buy into it. We in the diaspora are all excited about this vision of the governor and will contribute our quota to make it a success.

How will Otti harness the offshore resources of Abia Diasporans to bring them to bear on the development of the State?

He is already doing that by creating an enabling environment for security and businesses to thrive in Abia State. His policies are diaspora-friendly, and he has the political will to make decisions that align with the principles of diasporans. He has a fantastic diaspora outreach approach and a mechanism for consultation. In the last three months, he has been to the US and UK delivering lectures focused on good governance and accountability and engaging with Abia diasporans.

He has robust diaspora-oriented programmes mapped out for the future. I can assure you that in a short time, Abia State will be a model state to reference in all aspects of governance and growth.

What area(s) would you advice Governor Otti to focus on as the days roll into his second year in office, considering that the next election cycle will soon be around?

Great question. While I prefer not to offer specific advice on the pages of a national newspaper, I can comfortably say that Dr Otti understands the high expectations of the Abia people. He knows that power belongs to the people and remains committed to his people-oriented programmes to improve the lives of all Abians.

The governor is constantly engaging with the Abia citizens at the grassroots level to understand their needs. Most recently his government initiated a N1 billion interest free loan under the state cooperative support scheme for 10,000 macro and micro business operators drawn from the 184 electoral wards of the state.

Additionally, the training for Abia indigenes in modern methods of agriculture to address food security and curb unemployment is ongoing. The governor is very committed to fulfilling his electoral promises within the state’s available resources and will remain firm and resolute in his duties, despite any push or distraction from the opposition.

I can also assure you that with the support Dr Otti has in Abia State, the next election cycle is the least of his worries. The people of Abia are experiencing the dividends of democracy like never before, and when the time comes especially, they will rally behind their leader,  Otti, just as they had done in past elections. For now, it is all about good governance and delivering democratic dividends in Abia State.