Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, was agog on Wednesday, as residents rolled out the drums to celebrate the achievements of Governor Alex Otti, and particularly the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road within two years in office.
Port Harcourt Road, though a federal road, is strategic to the economy of Abia state, as it hosts many business clusters, like machine fabricators, automobile part dealers and Orie Ohabiam Electronics Market.
However, this major business corridor in Aba was left to rot for years by previous People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led administrations in the state.
The event tagged ‘Promises Kept Carnival’, was organised by the Aba business community to specifically celebrate the reconstruction of the dilapidated Port Harcourt Road that was abandoned for about 30 years.
Prior to Otti’s intervention, the sorry state of the road, which houses many industries, markets, banks and many creative and fabrication centres, as well as critical state infrastructures, like schools, was deserted.
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Governor Alex Otti, in his speech at the event, urged the celebrating residents to give thanks to God for the opportunity given to him to serve and to be used as an instrument in the ongoing Aba urban renewal.
“It’s God that uses man to work. God cannot come down from heaven to do it himself. Therefore, all glories must be given to God”, Otti said.
The Abia Governor further justified the ₦36 billion spent by his administration to finally fix the jinxed, but all-important Port Harcourt Road, which is seen by many as the economic gateway of the city.
Governor Otti took the stage to knock the opposition, stressing that his immediate predecessor in office spent more, without fixing the road, and wondered why the opposition cried wolf, alleging that he inflated the cost of the project.
He said that he has deliberately chosen to reply to the often-misguided criticisms of the opposition except with sterling performances, but had to speak out to set the record straight.
“In 2017, they awarded this Port Harcourt Road, and the amount at that time was ₦9.8 billion. They paid out the entire money, but the road was not done.
“A man wrote a book titled How to Lie with Statistics. You can lie with statistics. So, when in 2025, the road cost ₦36 billion, so I said, since you people understand mathematics, let’s do it now.
“The average exchange rate was ₦333 naira to the dollar. If you apply that, their ₦9.8 billion was $29 million. In 2025, ₦36 billion using the current average exchange rate of ₦1,600, it’s actually $22.4 million.
“So, let’s do the mathematics: $29 million and $22.4 million, which one is bigger? The real issue here is that $29 million was spent in 2017 and no road was done, but $22.4 million was spent in 2025 and the road is standing.”
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Going further, Otti said, “When I was declared governor elect, one month later, I brought Julius Berger here. There was so much noise. They said I was in a hurry to take over, but my response was that I know how Julius Berger works and that it’ll take them six months to finish the design.
“So, I needed to start early. As I predicted, it took them six months to finish the design. Then, in October 2023, we flagged off. Naysayers were still saying it wasn’t Julius Berger that I brought.
“One thing about fraudsters is that whatever one does that they didn’t understand looks like fraud to them, because that’s the only thing they understand. Thank God that 18 to 19 months ago, down the line, from October 2023, when Port Harcourt Road was impossible, but today, Port Harcourt Road is possible.”
John Udeagbala, former national president of the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and chairman of the occasion, said that the entrepreneurs and the Landlords association organised the carnival to show appreciation for the good works of Governor Otti and his team.
“We’re saying thank you, Your Excellency. Your projects in Aba are many, but Port Harcourt Road is dear to us. All those who left Aba are returning. We’re saying that silent gratitude is of no use, so we need to be open to our gratitude.
“We are here in our elements to show open gratitude, because your good works are clear. We thank you so much. True leadership is about value and the ability to put people above personal desire.
“In only two years, we’re seeing results everywhere. We’re here to say a big thank you once more and come to the next election, Abia State will be the first State to record over one million votes. People will show appreciation.”
Alphonsus Udeigbo, president general, Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association (ALPADA) said that ALPADA cannot adequately express their joy.
“Truly, when the righteous reign, the people rejoice. Thank you, our dearly beloved Governor for recovering and rebuilding our lost Port Harcourt Road.
“Abia is the only state in Nigeria where the governed are dancing in celebration of their Governor. For over 30 years, successive governments could not achieve this fit, which you have done within two years of your assumption of office,” he said.
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Udeigbo congratulated Aba residents for their support and patience with the site engineers, and thanked God for keeping most of them, who suffered on the road, alive to see the promise kept, urging them to henceforth own the project and avoid any form of sabotage.
Onyeka Udeaja, chairman of the Local Organising Committee, paid glowing tribute to Otti, for breathing back life into the economic activities of Aba, especially the Port Harcourt Road axis, through the reconstruction of the road.
“This carnival of Praise and Thanksgiving is totally devoted to God, who answered the long and secret prayers of His people in Aba, by ensuring first, that you were successful at the 2023 governorship election despite the mountain opposition and thereafter providing you with the requisite skill and godly wisdom for appropriate leadership and statecraft.
“Sir, what we are all witnessing in Abia state in just two years is the evidence of the hand of God upon your life, as it has now continued to be evident to all, even to those who did not believe initially,” Udeaja said.
