Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has once again acknowledged that the foundation for the state’s current infrastructure drive was laid by former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu.
According to him, Kalu’s development model, especially his early focus on Aba between 1999 and 2007, is now proving effective in present-day Abia.
Speaking during his monthly media interaction titled “Gov. Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” the governor responded to media questions surrounding his previous comments that credited Kalu. He clarified that some media platforms had taken his earlier statement out of context.
“Sometimes when news is reported, it’s taken out of context,” Otti told journalists in Umuahia. “If you understand the context of that statement, what I said was that when former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu started in 1999, he faced Aba and tried to build a lot of roads in that place.”
Governor Otti explained that his decision to also begin development from Aba was a strategic move. Aba, according to him, generates the most internal revenue in Abia State, and fixing it first allows the rest of the state to benefit.
Aba as the Starting Point for State-Wide Development
He insisted that using Aba as a base for wider development made both economic and administrative sense. “The whole idea is that you start from where you can generate revenue, and from there you proceed to the hinterlands,” he said.
Since assuming office, the governor said his administration has focused on Aba. But today, his projects have extended to nearly every local government in the state.
Addressing another question about why he seemed to ignore the frameworks left behind by his predecessors, Senators Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu, the governor responded with humour. “It’s for me to choose what template I want to choose. So when you become Governor, you pick all of them and put them together (laughs),” he said.
Governor Otti’s Repeated Praise of Kalu’s Legacy
This is not the first time Otti has praised Kalu’s leadership model. On June 8, 2025, during a courtesy visit, he acknowledged Kalu’s record, saying: “Government and governance is a continuum. It can be broken, but you must go back and recover it.”
Otti described Kalu’s work as Governor as excellent, noting that his administration is building on that solid groundwork. “You fix the place that generates the revenue, the revenue will come, and you use it to fix other places,” he said.
The governor also shared a personal reflection, saying his mother and many others from her generation still remember how Kalu’s government improved several sectors including education, agriculture, commerce, and road infrastructure.
What Kalu Achieved in Office and Beyond
Orji Uzor Kalu, who now represents Abia North in the Senate, served as Governor from 1999 to 2007. During his tenure, he launched numerous projects that transformed the landscape of Abia.
In Umuahia and Aba, he built several township roads, even though Umuahia was not within his own senatorial district.
Notable road projects from his time include the Owaza-Obehie-Azumini Road, Nkwoegwu Ring Road, Umuchieze-Leru-Nneato Road, and others in Abiriba, Igbere, and Ukwa East. His rural development strategy ensured all 17 local governments had at least one major road constructed.
In education, he expanded the Abia State University Teaching Hospital and modernised Abia State University. His government attracted top academic talent and maintained consistent university accreditation.
Over 800 schools were renovated and supplied with learning materials, while over 500 classrooms were newly built.
Under Kalu, Abia had free education and experienced zero teacher strikes. His administration also built government facilities like the Aguiyi-Ironsi Conference Centre, Okpara Auditorium, the Umuahia and Aba Township Stadia, and even road access to Okon-Aku in Ohafia—a promise many leaders before him failed to fulfil.
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Okay, Sir. Se understand. Carry on with your good work.