We won’t accept a non-indigene as mayor of Aba, natives tell Gov Otti

October 20, 2023

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

UMUAHIA-The Indigenous People of Aba Ngwa, comprising 24 communities in Aba North and Aba South council areas of Abia State, have vowed to resist Governor Alex Otti’s proposed appointment of a non-indigene as the mayor of Aba.

The Governor had during an event at the Aba Sports Club, disclosed that he will appoint billionaires like Ide John Udeagbala as the mayor of Aba and Chief David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex, as the mayor of Ohafia, among others.

Otti stated that all residents of Aba are one and the same people, stressing that every resident is an indigene of the city.

Reacting to the Governor’s statement, the Indigenous People of Aba under the umbrella body of the Aba Ngwa People’s Forum, at the end of their meeting in Aba, described the Governor’s statement as unacceptable and provoking and warned that Aba is not ‘a no man’s land’.

It warned that it will never accept a non-indigene of Aba as the mayor or transition committee chairman of the two council areas in Aba, stressing that such appointments do not occur in other metropolitan cities like Port Harcourt, Awka and Owerri.

They urged the Governor to appoint non-indigenes as mayors and transition committee chairmen in Umuahia, Bende, Ohafia and other areas of the state, if he must appoint a non-indigene to preside over Aba.

The Forum also alleged that the Governor had excluded the people of Aba South from appointments to the State Executive Council and market leadership positions in the state.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Mr. Ogechukwu Ogbonna, Engr. Greg Obinna and Mr. Chintua Nwagba, the Forum urged Otti to give the indigenous their deserved respect.

The forum noted that the indigenous people of Aba have been living in peace with the non-indigenous neighbours and won’t accept any inciting comments which could cause acrimony between the indigenous people and other residents of the city.

It read;”That Aba is owned by the indigenous people drawn from the 24 communities of Aba-la-Ohazu. We express our utmost disappointment with the comment credited to the Governor of Abia State, Dr.Alex Otti,wherein portrayed Aba as a no man’s land.

“The proposed appointment of some non-indigenous people as Mayors of Aba North and Aba South is not only unconstitutional, but also an aberration, but we will not bother ourselves with something we know is unconstitutional.

“The Governor’s statement to appoint non-indigenous persons to head local government areas of Aba is unacceptable to us as a people because in other neighbouring metropolitan cities like Port Harcourt, Owerri and even in Awka and Onitsha, such will never happen.

“Appointing a non-indigene as the Transition Committee Chairman of Aba is against the Abia State Local Government Transition Edict of 2002 which stipulates that the person appointed as a chairman shall be a native of the local government area.

“Appointing a non-indigene as the said ‘Mayor of Aba’, which has been said to be unconstitutional, is an insult on the sensibilities of the peaceful and hard-working indigenous people of Aba.

“The actions of the Governor of Abia State in relation to appointments are tantamount to pushing the indigenous people of Aba into extinction, which is totally unacceptable to us. We shall resist any attempt capable of inciting violence in Aba which the actions and utterances of the Governor are pointing towards. In line with the old saying that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, should the Governor plan to unconstitutionally foist a non-indigene on Aba as a Transition Committee chairman, he should do so in Umuahia, Bende, Arochukwu and other local government areas.

“Governor Alex Otti asking people who are not comfortable with the planned appointment of a non-indigenous Mayor of Aba to go and hit their heads on the wall, is unbecoming of a Governor elected by the people and is capable of causing civil unrest in Aba.”

The Forum further urged the Governor to balance his appointments among the ethnic extractions that make up the State in the spirit of justice and fairness.