Uzodimma, Otti Hold Closed-Door Meeting as Details Emerge

Hope Uzodimma, the chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and the governor of Imo State, visited Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, and stated that the visit was not driven by politics.

The visit occurred just three days after Henry Ikoh, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and an ally of Uzodimma, paid Otti a visit and commended him for his progress in Abia State.

Speaking to reporters following the visit, Uzodimma brushed off accusations of political scheming, characterizing the visit as a cordial New Year’s courtesy call in keeping with the season.

Regardless of their party affiliations, Uzodimma stated that South-East governors were dedicated to cooperating for the region’s development.

“So, I’m here as a courtesy call to the Governor, who I’ve also noticed is doing great,” he remarked.

“I prayed with him and wished him a happy New Year so that the Almighty God would provide us the strength to keep serving our people in an ever-improving manner. I am here because of that.

He emphasized that cooperation amongst the governors was essential to regional advancement.

“The South East is committed to the development of the area. We can only accomplish this by working together,” Uzodimma stated.

“As the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, it is my duty to communicate with them, engage in dialogue, exchange ideas, and reach a consensus on the most effective ways to ensure the survival of the local population.”

In order to maintain the South East’s strong integration into Nigeria, he continued, the governors worked together.

“The five of us, Governors of the South East, have decided to make sure that the South East is part of Nigeria,” stated the governor. We are currently working on it.

Otti’s “good governance” in Abia State was praised by Uzodimma, who is also the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in the South East.

In response, Governor Otti congratulated Uzodimma for the visit and denied any political motivations.

“This isn’t necessarily a political visit, but since we’re all politicians, we can’t avoid talking about politics,” Otti stated.

However, I believe that the most crucial point he made was that there is only one government. The national, subnational, and municipal governments are among them.

He advised against confusing party disagreements with hostility.

“In a government that you are a part of, you cannot be the opposition. Therefore, people miss the mark when they confuse a problem involving different political parties with opposition, he said.

You are free to disagree, and disagreement forums exist. However, once a decision is made, you become an integral part of it.

Otti reiterated that Abia State is still a member of the federal system and emphasized that the purpose of the visit was only to show goodwill for the New Year.

As the only governor elected on the Labour Party platform, Otti has continued to draw interest from several political parties looking to court him.

According to reports, Senator Adolphus Wabara, the former president of the Senate and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s board of trustees, tried to get Otti to join the PDP.

Efforts to court the governor of Abia have also been connected to the APC and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Otti, however, has vowed time and time again that he stays in the Labour Party, stating that he would only think about alternative choices if the party’s leadership problem became unsolvable.

Pastor Caleb Ajagba, the chief of staff of Abia State, and other cabinet members were there when Uzodimma visited, along with former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim.