Columns/Opinions/Letters

Gov.  Alex Otti And DSP Benjamin Kalu: When Politics Becomes  Sport, And Governance Becomes The Scorecard- By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Gov. Alex Otti And DSP Benjamin Kalu: When Politics Becomes Sport, And Governance Becomes The Scorecard- By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

GOV. ALEX OTTI AND DSP BENJAMIN KALU: WHEN POLITICS BECOMES SPORT, AND GOVERNANCE BECOMES THE SCORECARD If politics were a competitive sport in Abia today, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu appears to have chosen a single favourite event: bashing Governor Alex Otti. Week after week, interview after interview, press line after press line, the fixation is unmistakable. Not policy alternatives. Not competing development blueprints. Not verifiable achievements on Abia soil. Just relentless shadowboxing with a governor who is already in office and already delivering—however imperfectly—within the full glare of public scrutiny.That obsession is politically revealing. Serious contenders build parallel records; unserious…
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Beyond Politics, Toward Institutions: Alex Otti, The Learning-State Idea, And The Global Case For Legacy Governance – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Beyond Politics, Toward Institutions: Alex Otti, The Learning-State Idea, And The Global Case For Legacy Governance – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Beyond Politics, Toward Institutions: Alex Otti, the Learning-State Idea, and the Global Case for Legacy Governance When Governor Alex Chioma Otti says, “I am not a politician; I came to save Aba and rebuild Abia,” he is placing himself—whether deliberately or instinctively—inside a global intellectual tradition that sharply distinguishes political power from institutional purpose. This is not the language of electoral dominance; it is the language of mission governance, a theme running through the most influential development literature of the past decade.Scholars like Mariana Mazzucato have argued that successful governments are not those obsessed with control, but those that define…
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Edo Was An Exception, Not A National Formula: Abia’s Political Physics Is Unique – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Edo Was An Exception, Not A National Formula: Abia’s Political Physics Is Unique – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Edo Was an Exception, Not a National Formula: Abia’s Political Physics is Unique Why the “Okpebholo Precedent” Does Not Decide Abia 2027The argument begins—and must be confronted—at the so-called Okpebholo precedent. What happened in Edo did not establish a new electoral doctrine; it exposed the specific political mechanics of Edo State at a particular moment. Edo’s outcome was shaped by a rare convergence of factors: a fractured opposition, internal party implosions, elite realignments, litigation timing, and a local political structure that had already been hollowed out before voting day. Power there did not descend from Abuja by decree; it flowed…
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Season’s Greetings To My Boss, Our Esteemed Rector, (Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic), Family And Management Team – By Dr. Kalu O. Fijoh

Season’s Greetings To My Boss, Our Esteemed Rector, (Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic), Family And Management Team – By Dr. Kalu O. Fijoh

SEASON’S GREETINGS TO MY BOSS, OUR ESTEEMED RECTOR, [OGBONNAYA ONU POLYTECHNIC], FAMILY AND MANAGEMENT TEAMMy Dear Engr. Dr. C. K. Okoro,As we embrace the joy and blessings of this festive season, I want to take a moment to express my deepest appreciation for your exceptional leadership, guidance, and unwavering commitment to the growth and success of our institution. Your vision and dedication continue to inspire us all to give our best in service to the institution.I also extend my warmest wishes to your family, praying that this season brings you all peace, good health, and abundant joy. May the new…
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Free Rides, Clean Energy: Otti’s Electric Bus Initiative- By Ebere Uzoukwa Ph.D ( SSA To Governor Otti On Public Affairs)

Free Rides, Clean Energy: Otti’s Electric Bus Initiative- By Ebere Uzoukwa Ph.D ( SSA To Governor Otti On Public Affairs)

Free Rides, Clean Energy: Otti’s Electric Bus Initiative The rollout of electric buses for mass transit by the Abia State Government under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, stands as yet another strong affirmation of governance driven by empathy, innovation and purpose. By offering free transportation to residents during the Yuletide, the administration has provided timely relief to the people while reinforcing its commitment to easing the daily economic pressures faced by ordinary citizens. Beyond this seasonal gesture, the introduction of electric buses reflects a deliberate move towards modern, efficient and environmentally responsible public transportation.…
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2025: The Year Propaganda And Falsehood Failed To Diminish Governor Otti’s Reforms- By Ebere Uzoukwa Ph.D (SSA To Governor Otti On Public Affairs)

2025: The Year Propaganda And Falsehood Failed To Diminish Governor Otti’s Reforms- By Ebere Uzoukwa Ph.D (SSA To Governor Otti On Public Affairs)

2025: The Year Propaganda and Falsehood Failed to Diminish Governor Otti’s Reforms By Ebere Uzoukwa In every era of genuine reform, resistance is inevitable. When entrenched interests lose their grip on power and privilege, they often resort to noise, distortion and revisionism in a desperate bid to reclaim relevance. This pattern is neither new nor surprising. What distinguishes true reform moments is not the volume of opposition they provoke, but the weight of evidence that ultimately renders propaganda ineffective. The sustained social media campaign orchestrated by Mr Obinna Oriaku and his associates fits squarely within this tradition. Presented under the…
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Abia Between Christmas And Consequence: The Question Every Investor Will Ask In 2026 – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia Between Christmas And Consequence: The Question Every Investor Will Ask In 2026 – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

ABIA BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND CONSEQUENCE: THE QUESTION EVERY INVESTOR WILL ASK IN 2026 As the Christmas season fades into year-end accounting, serious investors move from sentiment to scrutiny. For Abia State, December 2025 is not just festive punctuation; it is a balance sheet moment. The decisive question for 2026 is no longer whether Governor Alex Chioma Otti announces reforms, but whether Abia now operates predictable systems that turn policy into bankable outcomes. Between Christmas optimism and economic consequence lies the real test of governance. MACRO STABILITY AND THE REAL USE OF THE FAAC WINDfallInvestor confidence begins with macro stability. Following…
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Christmas As A Governance Stress Test: What 18 Years Of December 25 Reveal About Abia – And What Has Changed Under Alex Otti – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Christmas As A Governance Stress Test: What 18 Years Of December 25 Reveal About Abia – And What Has Changed Under Alex Otti – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

CHRISTMAS AS A GOVERNANCE STRESS TEST: WHAT 18 YEARS OF DECEMBER 25 REVEAL ABOUT ABIA — AND WHAT HAS CHANGED UNDER ALEX OTTI Christmas Day is not sentiment; it is a stress test. On December 25, governance is measured not by speeches but by whether roads move, hospitals respond, security holds, and citizens feel safe enough to gather. Across Abia State, a review of Christmas Days from 2007 to 2024 reveals a pattern that long predates current politics—and a discernible shift that has occurred since 2023.From 2007 through the mid-2010s, Christmas in Abia was largely endured rather than managed. Independent…
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Abia At Christmas: A Learning State In A Season Of Noise, Hope, And Renewal – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia At Christmas: A Learning State In A Season Of Noise, Hope, And Renewal – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

ABIA AT CHRISTMAS: A LEARNING STATE IN A SEASON OF NOISE, HOPE, AND RENEWAL Christmas is traditionally a season of reflection, renewal, and truth-telling. It is a time when societies pause to separate noise from meaning, theatrics from substance, and promises from purpose. In Abia State, this Christmas arrives at a politically charged moment—one marked by fierce narratives, contested reforms, and an administration attempting to reshape institutions while navigating a hostile information environment. In that sense, Abia’s moment mirrors a global pattern far larger than local politics.Across the world, Christmas 2025 is unfolding against a backdrop of deep concern about…
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Abia’s Transport Reset: How Governor Otti Is Moving From Political Fleets To A Public Transport System – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia’s Transport Reset: How Governor Otti Is Moving From Political Fleets To A Public Transport System – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

ABIA’S TRANSPORT RESET: HOW GOVERNOR OTTI IS MOVING FROM POLITICAL FLEETS TO A PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMFor more than two decades, transport policy in Abia State followed a predictable and costly pattern: procure vehicles, announce empowerment, distribute assets, and watch the system collapse. What Governor Alex Chioma Otti is attempting today—despite the noise, cynicism, and deliberate misrepresentation—is a break from that history, not its continuation.From Ad-hoc Vehicles to Planned MobilityUnlike previous administrations that treated transport as a patronage tool, the Otti administration has framed mobility as an economic service. The launch of the Abia Green Shuttle is not merely about buses;…
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