The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Deacon Kelechi Anosike, has challenged journalists to subject government claims and projects to rigorous scrutiny, insisting that the people deserve accurate information on how public resources are being utilised.

Anosike made the call while addressing journalists in Umuahia, where he presented his assessment of governance in the state and outlined his vision for a more people-centred administration ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The PDP flag bearer, who described himself as a welfarist, said the essence of governance should go beyond the construction of roads and other physical infrastructure to include the welfare, economic empowerment and social security of citizens.

He argued that while infrastructure is important, government must also demonstrate its impact through improved living standards, employment opportunities, workers’ welfare, healthcare, education and support for vulnerable citizens.
Anosike said journalists have a critical responsibility to interrogate claims made by political actors and government officials, stressing that the media should remain a platform for accountability and the protection of the public interest.
According to him, Abia has the resources and human capacity required for meaningful development, but what is needed is a new direction, mindset and responsible leadership capable of deploying available resources for the benefit of the people.

He also criticised what he described as excessive emphasis on media publicity, arguing that projects and programmes should be evaluated on the basis of their actual impact on citizens rather than the volume of publicity surrounding them.
Anosike said his proposed administration would prioritise welfare alongside infrastructure, with emphasis on workers, pensioners, youths, women, artisans, farmers and other vulnerable groups.
The PDP candidate has consistently presented his 2027 campaign around a welfare-focused agenda, including improved workers’ welfare, rural development, agriculture, job creation and stronger grassroots governance. He has also proposed the establishment of agencies to drive rural development and connect Abia youths with global employment opportunities.

He urged journalists to continue asking difficult questions and providing citizens with facts, saying the media’s role in democratic governance goes beyond reporting political speeches to ensuring that leaders are held accountable for their promises.
Anosike, who emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election, has repeatedly said his ambition is driven by the desire to place “people first” in the governance of Abia State. �
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The Abia State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to placing women at the centre of the state’s development agenda through deliberate programmes aimed at economic empowerment, skills acquisition, access to finance, education, healthcare, technology and greater participation in governance.

The State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Mrs. Maureen Aghukwa, stated this at the 2026 Abia State August Women’s Delegates’ Conference in Umuahia, with the theme, “Abia Women: Empowered to Thrive.”

Dr Aghukwa said the transformation of Abia could not be complete without the full participation of women, stressing that women must be empowered to move from survival to sustainability, micro-enterprises to thriving businesses and dependence to economic independence.

She noted that the administration of Governor Alex Chioma Otti had created an enabling environment for citizens, particularly women and girls, to prosper, while deliberately recognising women as critical partners in the development of the state.

According to her, the government’s approach to women’s empowerment should ensure that petty traders have access to better opportunities, female farmers increase their productivity and income, and young women with innovative ideas gain access to skills, technology, finance and opportunities to build sustainable enterprises.
She also stressed the importance of quality education for girls and inclusion of women living with disabilities in the state’s development programmes.

The Commissioner commended Governor Otti for his commitment to transforming Abia and supporting programmes that promote the welfare and economic empowerment of women and girls, citing the Nigeria for Women Project as a major example of the administration’s intervention.

She equally acknowledged the contributions of the Governor’s wife, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, to the advancement of women, children and vulnerable persons in the state.

Dr Aghukwa said the First Lady had complemented government’s efforts through the Safe Tent Initiative, describing her passion for the welfare of women and vulnerable groups as a significant contribution to the development agenda of the state.
The Commissioner called on Abia women to take greater advantage of opportunities provided by government and to transform the traditional August Women’s Meeting into stronger platforms for economic empowerment, education, healthcare, social protection, community development and leadership development.

She urged women to move beyond asking what government could do for them and instead embrace a partnership approach in which government and women collectively drive development.
“Women must not only vote but must participate in governance. We must be present where policies are made and be part of decision-making,” she said, stressing the need to raise women capable of serving at every level of leadership.

The Commissioner described the traditional August meeting as one of the enduring institutions of Igbo women, noting that generations of women had returned home during the period to deliberate, reconcile, unite, empower themselves and strengthen their communities.
She therefore challenged Abia women to bring their wisdom, strength and values into the emerging opportunities in the state and become creators of opportunities for themselves and others.
The Commissioner ,however, declared that Abia women were “ready, united, empowered and partners in progress,” adding that they were prepared to contribute meaningfully to building the New Abia.
She expressed appreciation to traditional rulers, community leaders, development partners, civil society organisations, religious bodies and other stakeholders for their support for women and girls.

The conference, she said, was particularly significant as part of activities marking the 35th anniversary of the creation of Abia State, and provided another opportunity for women to reaffirm their commitment to the state’s development.
Dr. Aghukwa further appealed for stronger collaboration between government and women across the communities, saying sustained empowerment through skills, access to finance, technology, mentorship and productive capacity would enable more women to become economically independent and contribute significantly to Abia’s growth.
She called on women to embrace the opportunities created by the administration and play their part in building a prosperous, inclusive and development-oriented Abia State.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has charged youths to embrace selfless service, innovation, excellence and integrity, urging them to become active drivers of the New Abia project and contributors to the development of the State and Nigeria.

Governor Otti gave the charge at the graduation ceremony of the 2026 Abia State Leadership Academy Youth Leadership Boot Camp, organised by the Abia State Leadership Academy in collaboration with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, held at the International Conference Centre, Ogurube Layout, Umuahia.
The Governor, whose address was titled “The Leadership Vocation,” congratulated the 1,086 graduates of the four-week programme, reminding them that their graduation marked not the end, but the beginning of a greater responsibility to their communities and the State.
He urged the graduates to deploy the knowledge and leadership skills acquired during the programme to create practical solutions to societal challenges, establish mentoring clusters and mobilise their peers to become active partners in building the New Abia.
“You are not going home as regular people anymore. You now belong to a special community of young minds with a responsibility to act with distinction and carry the light of excellence into your communities, schools, and wherever the future takes you,” Otti said.

The Governor described the New Abia project as a transgenerational journey requiring patience, resilience, teamwork and commitment, stressing that the graduates could no longer afford to remain passive citizens.
He charged them to “remove the cloak of lethargy” and embrace the responsibility of selfless service, noting that they would eventually occupy positions of influence and must begin now to bridge the gap between the aspirations of the State’s founding generation and present realities.

Otti also expressed confidence in the capacity of the young leaders to contribute meaningfully to the State, describing them as “bearers of solutions, drivers of innovation, and agents of transformation.”
He expressed particular interest in seeing ideas developed during their capstone presentations translated into practical solutions, assuring them that the State Government was prepared to support ventures capable of contributing to Abia’s development.
“We are far more interested in seeing them come to fruition,” the Governor said, directing the Academy to maintain a directory of participants and track their progress as part of efforts to sustain their leadership development.

The Governor also urged the graduates to remain steadfast in the face of opposition and challenges, stressing that their daily choices would ultimately determine the future they help to build.
“It is either you are voting for a prosperous future through your daily choices or you are undermining it by refusing to stand for your conviction,” he said.
Governor Otti commended the President of the Abia State Leadership Academy, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, and his team for their dedication, as well as the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, led by its Director, Dr. Nneka Okekaru, for their commitment to the successful delivery of the programme.

He also appreciated the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, the management of Government College Umuahia and the Nigerian Naval College of Accounts and Finance for their partnership and support, while thanking parents for entrusting their children to the State Government.
The Governor noted that about 10 per cent of the participants were young people of Abia origin living in different parts of the country, describing the development as evidence that his administration’s inclusive policy of recognising everyone who lives in Abia as an Abian was yielding results.

He specifically acknowledged one of the outstanding participants, Ms. Rosely Farida Abdusalam, who lives in Aba with her parents, saying her success demonstrated the effectiveness of the policy that “if you live in Abia, you are from Abia.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Abia State Civil Service Commission, Pastor Dr. Eno Jerry Eze, said the Academy graduated 1,086 young people selected from more than 7,000 applicants.
She said the selection demonstrated the potential and commitment of the graduates to leadership and urged them to become transformational leaders, innovators and change-makers who would contribute meaningfully to the development of Abia and Nigeria.

According to her, the theme of the 2026 boot camp, “Raising Transformational Leaders, Innovators and Change-Makers,” reflected the vision of the Otti administration to invest not only in physical infrastructure but also in the State’s most valuable asset — its young people.

She noted that the administration was investing in roads, schools, climate-friendly transportation, agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises and hospitals, while equally investing in the human capital required to sustain the State’s development.
She explained that the programme exposed participants to real-life scenarios and encouraged them to think critically, appreciate diverse perspectives and develop practical solutions to challenges in their communities.

Earlier, the President of the Abia State Leadership Academy, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, commended Governor Otti for establishing the institution as a deliberate investment in the future of Abia State.
Prof. Kalu said the Academy was founded because the Governor dared to ask what would happen if government invested not only in what Abia had today but also in what Abia would become tomorrow. He observed that while roads, buildings and hospitals were important, developing a generation shaped by values, integrity, compassion and purpose would produce an impact that would outlast physical structures.
“Roads, buildings and other structures are important, and Your Excellency is already doing a lot in those sectors. But a generation shaped by values, a generation taught to live with integrity, serve with compassion and build with purpose, that generation will outlast every structure one can ever erect,” he said.Prof. Kalu thanked the Governor for his support and vision, describing the Academy as an investment whose impact would extend across generations.He urged the graduates to return to their communities and put their training into practice by leading, solving problems and modelling the values acquired at the Academy.
“Go back to your communities and lead. Go back to your schools and solve. Go back to your families and model the values you have learned during your time at the Academy,” he charged.
He also urged them to remain committed to integrity when confronted with pressure or temptation, reminding them to draw strength from the values instilled in them at the Academy

The event featured goodwill messages from the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Ph.D., the President of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, Mrs. Ekeoma Ezeibe, among others.

Governor Otti prayed for the safe return of the graduates and guests to their various destinations and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to raising a new generation of principled, innovative and service-oriented leaders for Abia State and Nigeria.

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