I hope you've had a nice day.
Let me start by apologising for my silence in the past few weeks. We wanted to have completed a major milestone in the long process of redeeming your mandate before addressing you.
We have been busy consulting with various stakeholders on the results of the April 11 election and April 25 Abia Governorship rerun election with a view to deciding how best to fight the great injustice meted out to us, to our party, APGA and to all Abians who voted for change that we so desperately deserve. I also use this opportunity to acknowledge your phone calls, text messages of advice, encouragement and support for a mandate that belongs to us all. Thank you.
You may recall that I had swiftly rejected the result of that election, which returned “victory” in favour of Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP. I made it clear that the election was marred by massive rigging and that the result was not acceptable by me as it does not reflect your wishes. It would obviously have been wrong for me to complain about being robbed and then do nothing to recover this mandate which was freely given through your votes, as the people on the other side alleged.
We wish to inform you, my dear friends, brothers and sisters that on Friday the 15th of May our petition challenging the declaration of Ikpeazu as the Governor- Elect of Abia state was filed with the Abia State Election Tribunal at Umuahia, the state capital.
As you may know, my inspiration for seeking your mandate to be the governor of our State is borne out of my conviction that the office will enable me to make the greatest contribution to the development of the state and also contribute to national development.
Our offer to serve is our sacrifice to redeem the state and its people and not a do-or-die ambition worthy of a resort to violence of any type. Please do not resort to any form of violence, remain calm as you have done even in the face of brazen abuse and attacks on us and some of the things we hold sacred.
My sacrifices have been many – giving up my position as managing director of Diamond Bank Plc; but so have been yours – putting your lives and livelihood at risk to vote and try to protect your votes. Our bond lies not in what we seek to gain from government but in what we are willing to sacrifice to effect the change we need to make our state better; a phenomenon our opponents cannot comprehend.
WHY I AM AT THE TRIBUNAL
My main reason for going to the Election Tribunal is to contribute to the fight against electoral malpractices, which desperate politicians have continued to perpetrate despite the well-intentioned efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to entrench the culture of credible elections in our dear country.
It is not enough for us to complain in the comfort of our homes and then do nothing to stop rigging. If we continue to do so, I can assure you that the rigging can only get worse during future elections.
I want to be part of the process of stopping rigging, thus improving the electoral process in our dear country. This is the only way to ensure that falsehood is not rewarded and glorified; indeed, the only way we can help INEC and the larger Nigerian society on the issue of elections.
I have faith in Almighty God to use the judiciary to ensure that my supporters and I get justice at the end of the day.
The second reason for going to the tribunal is YOU.
Your stories inspire me; your capacity to endure encourages me; your prayers protect me; how can I not go? How can we explain to our children why our state is the worst state in the country? How can I raise the hopes of my people and not fight for it? Going to the tribunal is my responsibility to the people of Abia State.
Once more, I thank you immensely for your support and continue to count on your goodwill and prayers.
May God bless you all.
Your Governor In Waiting
Alex Otti
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