Governor Otti Reaffirms Commitment To God, People As Abia Holds Grand Thanksgiving To Mark Third Anniversary 

The Abia State Government on Sunday held a grand Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service to commemorate the third anniversary of the administration of Governor Alex Otti, OFR, .

The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to God, purposeful leadership, and the fulfillment of promises made to Ndi Abia.
The thanksgiving service, held at the Trademore Event Centre, Umuahia, marked the formal commencement of activities for the third anniversary celebration of the present administration and brought together government officials, religious leaders, traditional rulers, political stakeholders, and citizens from across the state in worship, reflection, and appreciation to God for what has been described as three years of transformation and renewed hope in Abia State.

Addressing the congregation, Governor Alex Otti declared that thanksgiving to God remains a personal conviction for him and his family, stressing that every success recorded by his administration since assumption of office has been made possible through divine guidance and grace.
The Governor recalled that immediately after being sworn into office, his administration rededicated Abia State to God and made a solemn vow to seek divine direction in governance.
“We started by taking the State to God in prayers and rededicated the State immediately after we were sworn in,” Governor Otti stated.

Reaffirming his faith and commitment to fulfilling promises made before God, Governor Otti disclosed plans to commence the construction of an Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia, describing it as a personal vow project that would be funded entirely from private resources without any financial contribution from the Abia State Government.

According to him, the land earmarked for the project was personally acquired in 2009, years before he assumed office as Governor.
“We vowed that we are going to build an Ecumenical Centre in Umuahia for God. The Ecumenical Centre is not going to be built with government money. No dime from the State government will go into it,” the Governor emphasized.
Governor Otti also expressed deep appreciation to clergymen across the state for their sustained prayers and spiritual support for his administration. He particularly acknowledged the President of Living Word Ministries International, Dr. Emma Okorie, for standing by him over the years, recalling the challenges the cleric faced for identifying with him during his 2014 governorship aspiration.

Delivering the sermon titled, “Where There Is No Vision, the People Perish,” the President of Living Word Ministries International, Dr. Emma Okorie, described Governor Otti as a “God-sent leader” on a divine mission to restore and reposition Abia State.
Drawing his text from Exodus 3:1–10, Dr. Okorie likened Abia’s journey to that of the Israelites in bondage, arguing that years of poor leadership had subjected the state to hardship before divine intervention brought Governor Otti to office.
He stated that the Governor’s emergence symbolized God’s answer to the prayers and aspirations of the people of Abia, urging citizens to sustain their support for the administration.

Also speaking, the Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Ukpong, urged Governor Otti and members of his administration to remain steadfast in doing good and resist distractions.
He assured the Governor of continued divine guidance and prayers from the people, stressing that commitment to good governance would continue to attract God’s protection and favour.
“All God needs from you is your trust and for you to continue doing good. Do not allow anything to distract you from the good works you are doing, and the prayers of the people will continue to be with you,” Bishop Ukpong stated.

In his testimony, the Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Umuahia Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dr. Chibuzor Opoko, applauded Governor Otti’s leadership style and reeled out what he described as landmark achievements of the administration.
He cited improvements in road infrastructure, elimination of salary and pension payment disparities, clearance of arrears owed by previous administrations, intervention in erosion-ravaged areas, revitalization of healthcare delivery, and reforms in the education sector as clear evidence of transformational governance.

According to the cleric, Governor Otti’s achievements had restored pride and confidence among Abians, urging citizens to support the administration and avoid politicizing their collective future.
“Before now, Abians were blind, but today, they can see. Do not use your destinies to play politics,” he charged.

The thanksgiving service attracted a high-profile gathering of dignitaries including the wife of the Governor, Her Excellency Mrs. Priscilla Otti; the Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu; Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa; the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Lilian Abai; members of the National and State Assemblies; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba; Head of Service, Mr. Benson Ojeikere; members of the State Executive Council; traditional rulers led by Eze Linus Nto Mbah; and an array of religious leaders and stakeholders.

The event underscored what participants described as a moment of gratitude, unity, and renewed commitment to sustaining the vision of a prosperous and transformed Abia State under Governor Alex Otti’s leadership.