Agbazuere backs Otti’s second-term bid after U-turn

UMUAHIA—Former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Prof. ACB Agbazuere, who was a vocal critic of Governor Alex Otti during the 2019 governorship election, has declared support for the governor’s re-election bid, saying he deserves a second term.

Agbazuere, now a member of Otti’s Campaign Advisory Council, also dismissed an allegation attributed to former Commissioner, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya, that the governor allegedly described Ngwa people as brainless, describing the claim as unfounded and politically motivated.

Speaking during a radio interview simulcast across several stations in Abia on Tuesday, Agbazuere cautioned politicians against making unsubstantiated allegations, warning that defamatory statements could attract legal consequences under Nigerian laws, including the Cybercrimes Act.

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He said the allegation would not undermine Otti’s support base, particularly among the Ngwa people.

“Dr Alex Otti may love peace; Dr Alex Otti may not want trouble, but they should see that people like us are now with him. Anybody who wants to say anything should be careful and say what he knows to be true,” he warned.

Explaining his support for the governor, Agbazuere said the Otti administration had demonstrated commitment to infrastructure development, urban renewal, workers’ welfare and good governance.

He cited the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road and Bank Road in Aba, the Omenuko Bridge and Arochukwu Road as evidence of the administration’s infrastructure drive.

He also commended the governor for what he described as regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities, as well as improvements in allowances for traditional rulers.

On criticisms that increased federal allocations should have translated into more development projects, Agbazuere argued that the rising cost of construction materials must be considered.

He cited the increase in the price of cement from about ₦2,000 to ₦12,000 per bag as an example of the inflationary pressures facing construction projects.

He challenged critics to visit the state and assess ongoing projects rather than evaluate the administration from a distance.

Describing Otti as a banker and trained economist, Agbazuere said the governor understood accountability and prudent management of public resources.

He urged Abians to look beyond party affiliations and support continuity, arguing that a second term would enable Otti to complete ongoing projects and consolidate his administration’s programmes.

He also recalled that during the 2023 governorship election, a leading opposition candidate had reportedly acknowledged Otti as the best candidate.

Vanguard reports that Agbazuere, a former Commissioner for Information, was previously among Otti’s vocal critics but has recently switched allegiance after leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he briefly sought  political shelter shortly after Otti assumed office in 2023.

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Agbazuere hails from Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, the same local government area as Governor Otti.