Photo: Engr Chyka Ibeku
Engineer Chyka Ibeku, is a Chieftain of the Labour Party, LP in Abia State and the founder and former president of Abia Youth Forum (AYF).
In this explosive interview, he granted to select journalists including Nigeria News Mark, he speaks on the laudable achievements of the Governor Alex Otti-led government in Abia state, why Otti is not a match to the opposition, insecurity in Nigeria and the 2027 election among others.
It is a no-holds- barred interview.
Excerpt
By Mandy Park
*As someone who is a strong member of the Labour party and well informed in what is happening in the party, how would you rate Governor Alex Otti ?
Okay. Thank you for this interview.
My name is Engineer Chyka Ibeku, a chieftain of the Labour Party, LP in Abia State and the founder and former president of Abia Youth Forum AYF.
For me to rate Governor Alex Oti, personally, I would say Otti has met the campaign promises and has even exceeded his campaign promises in three years. Gov Otti has done more than the people expected him to do within the short period, and the people are really happy.
What we never saw in 24 years in Abia State, in terms of infrastructure development, Human resources development and in other sectors, in 3 years Abia people are witnessing it today and they are really grateful, not only grateful they are grateful to God for sending Alex Otti as their governor.
He is God sent and Abians appreciate him.
**Can you just give us briefly some of the things that excites you that you see that he has done?
He has done too many things, too numerous to mention.
Across the entire Abia, Gov Otti’s works are rooted in visible evidence. The imprint of his administration has becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Perhaps the most defining feature of Otti’s governance so far is the aggressive road infrastructure renewal. These are roads that speak louder than words.
In Aba—the commercial heartbeat of Abia—long-neglected are all functioning.
Roads such as Port Harcourt Road, Ohanku Road, Asa Road, Ndoki Road, and Ovom Road have all been completed, breathing life back into economic activity.
In Umuahia, the state capital, projects like Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard, Library Avenue, and multiple internal roads have equally transformed urban mobility.
Of course, beyond the major cities, strategic link roads such as the Umuahia–Abiriba Road, Abiriba–Ohafia Road, and Ozu Abam–Arochukwu roads are reconnecting communities and facilitating trade.
Aba’s industrial clusters, Ariaria market axis, and surrounding business hubs are witnessing renewed confidence as access improves and transportation costs crashes.
While road construction dominates public discourse, Otti’s governance footprint extends far beyond it. His government has restored electricity to over 33 communities in Ukwa West, signaling a commitment to rural inclusion. The installation of over 10,000 solar streetlights across the state has improved security and nighttime economic activity.
In healthcare, the rollout of 200 primary healthcare centres across all 184 wards is a significant step toward decentralised medical access. I think I can stop here, as I am not spokesperson of the government. The truth is that Gov Otti has raised governance bar and standing tall on competence. Abians are not calling him miracle worker for nothing, they know that the man that knows the way is leading them. Look, we have never had anything close to this in terms of leadership in the state.
There was a time they recruitment over 700 medical professionals—an effort to ensure that infrastructure is matched with human capacity.
Education has also received notable attention. There is the reconstruction of over 221 public schools and the development of over 20 smart schools.
Thousands of teachers have already been hired, with more in the pipeline, reinforcing the administration’s long-term vision.
We are witnessing massive urban renewal and institutional strengthening.
The completion of the Umuahia Central Bus Terminal and the development of its Aba counterpart reflect a structured approach to transportation management. Going by records, it remains the biggest in Nigeria today.
Strategic projects such as the Abia Airport runway, the dualisation of key roads, and support infrastructure for industrial facilities—including access roads to power and beverage plants—indicate a deliberate effort to position Abia as an investment destination. Please allow me to stop here, so that we can talk about other issues. Before I forget, the Omenuko bridge was a nightmare to previous administrations. They said Mammy water (River Mermaid) could not allow them do the fallen bridge.
Go and see what Gov. Otti has done there, construction of a brand new bridge. (Laughs). People can now travel from Umuahia to Bende, Bende to Ohafia, to Arochukwu, freely.
Go now and see Aba, the “Japan of Africa” and you can confirm better the stuff Otti is made off in leadership.
Look at the Government House, it’s not finished yet, but you can see the level of work going on there and the beauty of the structure.
There is no community in the state that is not feeling, or perhaps enjoying the positive impact of the Otti governance.
Even his opponents, if they don’t have ear to hear, they have eye to see, they have nose to smell it.
So we thank God for Gov Otti. He has done a lot. That is what we have expected, and he is delivering it, tangible evidence of democracy dividends. I am just imagining how Abia will look like after his 8 years in office.
*What do you see as the Otti secret for performance which perhaps those before him never had?
Otti came in determined. Yes, he came in determined, poised to change the face of leadership in Abia, which was almost a mockery.
Already he was a billionaire before coming into office, he is not greedy, not arrogant but a humble man with a vision and with his eyes on the ball to transform lives. Perhaps as a banker, prudence, wise management of scarce resources is key to him.
More importantly, Otti never passed through any Godfather. So he has full grip of leadership and has no cabal to share state money to or with. For Otti, the people are his Godfather and he is a Godfather to the people. He does not have any Godfather where at the end of every month he is distributing money to them and other entrenched stakeholders in the State. They are just dependent on the government money at the end of every month. But Otti stopped it because of his interest in the masses. That sharing era is gone. Otti works with the people, with the peoples money and they are seeing outstanding results. Otti is getting the full support of the people. And that is why he is also working. But above all, he has the fear of God and when a leader puts God first, be sure he will succeed.The cheering news is that some of them, former godfathers have come back to Otti. They have come back to the local party to join him because they appreciate what he is doing. Some of them are campaigning for Otti’s reelection strongly. Some of them are working for him openly because they know it is no longer business as usual.They say, yeah, this is what government is supposed to be. Government of the people, for the people, by the people. And Otti is doing it.
Otti said it himself that he is not ready to give government money to anybody. He wants to use the money and work for the people.
And that is what he is doing.
*How will you react when some people like Senator Orji Uzor kalu and Hon Benjamin Kalu, Deputy speaker at the Green Chambers and some of their cohorts, say that in the next election, they will send Otti packing from the Government House and that the All Progressive Congress, APC will take over?
The truth is that in their hearts they already know that there is no vacancy in Abia Government House.
Those who say Otti is already out of the race are just clowns because no one in Abia state today in the opposition can compete with Otti.
You know talk is cheap and I can tell you that most of them will lose election in their wards in the coming election because the people are now wiser.
Benjamin Kalu, thinks it is by doling out money he got from the presidency that will make the APC win Abia. Benjamin Kalu is just trying to let people know him. He is not popular. He has no political clout in the state.
They are just day-dreaming, hallucinating. No matter where the APC zone their governorship seat they will go nowhere. The reason is simple: The man handling the clutches of power in the state is producing desirable results.
Some of them making the laudest noise lacks grassroots support but only make noise in the papers and social media.
One million of them put together cannot beat Gov Otti in any election given his laudable governance report. Some of the noise makers have decided to opt out of the competition Intentionally because they know they have no chance.
*Are you really worried on this issue of insecurity in Nigeria?
Well, we all know that insecurity is becoming worrisome in Nigeria. Both in the north and the southwest, South-South and even in the southeast.
But Oti is actually handling the situation in Abia State. In southeast, Abia State in particular, the governor is on top of security. You can see that there is peace in Abia when compared to other Southeast states.
You can see where the vision less, clueless APC-led Tinubu government has brought Nigeria.
Otti has fortified the security in Abia State. So what is happening in some Eastern States is not so common in Abia State because every sector of the security, all of their tools, they have equipped them.
All the security apparatus has been equipped in Abia State, and they are working 24 hours everyday. It will be difficult for them to penetrate.
This is part of the good work Otti is doing to protect the lives and properties of Abia residence.
*But how do you see some other parts of Nigeria in terms of insecurity?
It is worrisome, it is troubling. Nowhere is safe, nobody is safe. Anyone can be a victim. It is a reflection of the incompetence of the APC government. They used propaganda to chase President Jonathan out of power. Today, Jonathan will look at them and laugh. They have made Jonathan a hero. The question now is: Who is clueless? APC government is a disaster, a tragedy. Look at those that have been kidnapped and have been in the bush for weeks and months, still nothing is happening. Children are there in the bushes dying each passing day, some shot, some beheaded and the government is acting as if everything is okay, deceiving themselves with endless trips abroad in the guise of bringing investments. It is laughable. Other parts of the world are not daft like them. But Nigerians are now wiser and I know 2027 will not be business as usual unless you want to throw the country into massive violence, anarchy. The truth today is: Do not let Nigeria happen to you…I pity anyone supporting the APC government. Now, bandits, kidnappers, are making videos and sending to social media and nothing is happening, nobody is tracking them. Shame. Even Sheik Gumi said government knows all the bandits, their houses and phone numbers. Can you beat that?.
The high level of tribal sentiment is worrisome, that is what is going on here. Nigerians have to rise above all these tribal, religious, ethnic sentiment. Is this harsh and hard economy punishing only Christians or only Muslims or only the Igbo or Yoruba or Hausa? It’s time for Nigerians to wake up to the reality of the moment. There must be a collective resistance by all well-meaning citizens.
*How can you predict the 2027 election? Given what is happening now ?
For me, Mr Peter Obi stands out. Looking at his records you know he can restore hope, he is a goal-getter like my governor, Dr Alex Otti. They are already very rich before seeking to serve, they are not greedy, they are compassionate and genuinely willing to serve the people.
