Otti, Fubara: Tale of two governors with different agendas

By Don Norman Obinna (Agu Ibeku)

Governor Alex Otti is a crafty politician who understands the vulnerabilities of the average Abia citizen – ignorance, a willingness to comply, hunger, sycophancy, and covetousness (referred to in Nigerian English as (“Long Throat”).

Unfortunately, he has exploited these weaknesses, embellishing his message with lies and deceit to create a narrative on social media that he and his government represent the best thing to happen to Abia State since its creation in 1991.

The delusions perpetuated on social media only serve to highlight the negative effects of these misleading strategies.

To provide a clearer perspective, I will logically present my argument using a comparative analysis to help the public make informed decisions.

By examining the actions of these two governors and the conditions in their states side by side, we can eliminate subjectivity and prejudice.

In June 2023, Governor Alex Otti awarded a contract to Julius Berger Construction Company for the reconstruction of the 5.9 km Trunk B, Port Harcourt Road, at a staggering cost of N32 billion.

This amounts to approximately N5 billion per kilometre, making it one of the most expensive road reconstructions in the world.

During the same period, Otti’s government also expanded the 3.3 km Ossah Road by three meters on both sides for N8.4 billion. This equates to N2.5 billion for each additional three meters, making it the most expensive road extension of its kind globally.

There are two critical points to consider here. First, the exchange rate of the Naira to the Dollar in June 2023 was relatively favourable (N750). Second, unlike Rivers State, Abia State is not situated in a swampy area, which raises questions about the astronomical costs of these projects.

In May 2024, Governor Simi Fubara announced the approval of the 33.5 km Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ikiri-Omoku Road project, complete with bridges and bypasses, to be undertaken by Craneburg for N80.8 billion. It is important to note that this decision was made collectively by the State Executive Council and not solely by Fubara. The contract specifies a completion timeline of 24 months.

In May 2024, the exchange rate was N1,500 to the Dollar, meaning the cost per kilometre for the Rivers State project stood at N2.4 billion based on this high exchange rate. This is significant, especially considering that Craneburg was also contracted by Otti’s administration, which paid N8.4 billion—around N2.5 billion per kilometre—for the three-meter expansion of Ossah Road.

Two days ago, with an exchange rate of N1,546 to the Dollar, the Fubara-led Rivers State government launched the 19.7 km Buguma-Abalama-Tema-Degema-Abonnema Road project with a contract value of N30.4 billion, which is N1.6 billion less than the N32 billion that Otti’s administration spent on the reconstruction of the 5.9 km Trunk B, Port Harcourt Road in June 2023.

Unlike Otti, who has laid off over 20,000 civil servants and subjected the remaining employees to ongoing verification while refusing to implement the N70,000 national minimum wage, Fubara raised the approved minimum wage by N15,000, N85,000.

Additionally, contrasting Otti’s decision to cut jobs without creating new ones, Fubara provided Rivers State workers with Christmas allowances ranging from N150,000 to N200,000.

While residents of Rivers State were set to celebrate Christmas with their families, Governor Otti was busy inflicting suffering on Abia traders by demolishing Ekeoha Market during the Christmas season. I am sure he took delight in watching the devastated traders praise him as a benevolent leader while protesting his actions.

The contrasting actions of these two governors are telling. One focuses on the development and well-being of his people, while the other appears more interested in self-gain.

Isn’t it evident that Otti’s administration has been a disaster? It is disheartening that some celebrate the failure of a leader whose only notable achievements seem to be marked by hardship and inflated contracts.

It is shameful that some of us celebrate road retrofitting despite the over N500 billion his government has received so far.

I speak boldly because, as Aristotle once said, “In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place; it is the moral duty of individuals to uphold what is right, despite societal norms.”

Don Norman Obinna is the Abia State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Shadow Commissioner for Policies and Projects Evaluation.