- Otti criticised the previous administration for failing to rebuild the office sooner
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has inaugurated the newly rebuilt Aba South Administrative Office, which was destroyed during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
Speaking at the commissioning on Thursday, Otti reflected on the destruction caused by protesters, describing the events as a painful chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey. “The events of October 2020 and the attendant losses in human lives and property represent terrible sore points in our democratic evolution,” he said.
Otti criticised the previous administration for failing to rebuild the office sooner, and praised Abia residents for electing new leadership in 2023. “A new era is upon us, and the excitement I see here indicates that our people got what they ordered at the electoral marketplace in 2023,” he added.
The rebuilding of the office is part of the state government’s broader “rebuild and restore” initiative to improve infrastructure, particularly in Aba. Otti highlighted that the government has committed billions to repairing roads, retrofitting public infrastructure, and cleaning up the city, which he now describes as one of the cleanest urban areas in Nigeria.
The governor also commended Chief Uche Wogu, Mayor of Aba South Local Government Area, for his leadership in completing the project. “Our gathering this afternoon celebrates a new leadership culture, one that prioritises service to the community over individual interests,” Otti said.