Igbeaku Orji 
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has raised hope of the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in DSS detention since 2021.
Fielding questions at the September edition of the media chat, Governor Otti said that as Kanu’s Governor, he was at the forefront of efforts to secure his release, but deliberately chose not to be loud about it because of the sensitive nature.
According to him, contrary to the notion in some quarters, the South East governors have not abandoned Kanu, but are actively engaging relevant authorities to secure his release.
“Some of the engagements and assurances we have received are not for public consumption since they may derail the process.
“But you can take it for granted that, as his Governor, I’m at the forefront of ensuring he comes back home. All the South East governors are together in this,” Otti said.
The Governor’s clarification was in response to the call by Igbo Elders who had converged at Government House, Umuahia, to call on South East Governors to demand Kanu’s release.
The elders accused political leaders in the zone of neglecting the IPOB leader and urged Otti to rally his colleagues to engage President Bola Tinubu on the matter and expressed optimism that ongoing engagements would yield positive results.
He disclosed that the South East Governors were also engaging in regional economic and security talks, which he believed would soon yield results.
The governor, however, noted that he believes that such regional infrastructure, like rail transportation, that would interconnect the states of the Southeast, would be better addressed through individual states’ efforts in infrastructure, as is currently the case in Abia State.
Gov Otti said that in addition to over 5000 new teachers, another batch of 4000 was on the way and warned that no teacher should be posted to a school far from their abode for effective performance.
He explained that the reason for separating the ministry of Lands from Housing is to address the increasing demand for accommodation by those who are relocating to the State, even as he also said that the electric buses ordered by the State would arrive in batches of 20 but were delayed because the State asked for a redesign in consideration for people with disability.
Governor Otti further reiterated his commitment to improving all facets of Abia life, vowing not to succumb to blackmail but to remain open to constructive criticism.
He, however, lamented that some individuals resort to mischief, distortion of facts, and politically motivated attacks, but would not be distracted.
On the recurring communal clashes between Abam, Isu and Ihechiowa communities in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia and their Cross River and Akwa Ibom neighbours, which have displaced many residents, Otti said the state government is working with the governments of Cross River and Akwa Ibom States to restore peace.
He attributed the violence to the claim of ownership over natural resources, particularly the limestone deposit, but assured that the displaced people are not abandoned and would soon return to their ancestral homes.
