Why I Declared Otti Abia Governor In 2023 — Returning Officer

Returning officer (RO) of the 2023 governorship election in Abia State, Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, has said she declared Alex Otti as winner of the election in line with her responsibility and according to her conscience.

Nnannaya-Oti stated this yesterday during the inauguration of multimodal bus terminal named after her in Umuahia, the state capital, saying she believes in equity and justice.

“I simply did what I’ve done all my life. To do the right thing. And I stand, I still stand, I will continue to stand, and my truth voice must count. The mandate of the people must stand”, she said.

The RO, who is the first female vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, expressed optimism about the country’s future and urged Nigerians to uphold truth and integrity.

She commended the governor for the numerous landmark achivements his administration has recorded within three years and urged him to continue to deliver on his campaign pledges.

In his address titled “Raising The Bar”, Otti said RO symbolised the values of honesty and patriotism demonstrated by many individuals who resisted pressure and defended the electoral process.

‎‎The governor explained that the naming of the terminal after her was not merely in honour of one person but a tribute to all those who stood against manipulation and electoral injustice.

‎‎He said, “The honour represented a collective recognition of electoral officials, security operatives, party agents and citizens who played critical roles in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.”

‎‎Earlier in his address, the commissioner for Transport, Chimezie Ukegbu, said the event marked a key milestone in the state’s transport reform agenda under the present administration.