Abia State governor-elect, Alex Otti has indicated that tough time awaits those who looted the treasury and converted property of the state.
Otti stated this after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued him and his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu their certificates of return in Umuahia, the state capital.
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“We’re not going to chase anybody, but whosoever has government property or collected its money illegally must return them,” said the Labour Party governorship candidate in the 18 March poll.
“We will not allow our resources to be privatised while our people are languishing in penury,” maintained Otti, who was declared as the winner of the election last week.
Commending INEC for the credible and peaceful conduct of the election, he added that the state “had waited for an opportunity like this and God said that 2023 will mark a new song for it.”
He expressed gratitude to the people of the state for their confidence and trust in him and his deputy with their mandate, vowing that “they will not be disappointed in their expectations from us.”
Otti, who lauded the outgoing governor, Okezie Ikpeazu for advising against unnecessary litigations over the outcome of the poll, urged him to refrain from doing anything that could create tension during this “lame duck period”.
The former bank chief explained that the transition period could be tempting for Ikpeazu to start awarding contracts that could be later cancelled or making payments that would be reversed later.
In his remarks earlier the INEC resident electoral commissioner explained that the presentation of the certificate of returns to the winner was in line with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act.
Okoye commended the people of state “for believing in democracy, standing for democracy and protecting democracy”, adding that democracy is not a 100-metre sprint since it has to be nurtured to grow.
He reminded Otti that he and his deputy are carrying a heavy burden arising from the mandate given to them through the ballot box to pilot the affairs of the state.