The appointment of a non-indigene by the Governor of Abia state, Alex Otti as the Mayor of Aba is already creating controversy and being met with stiff resistance in the state.
TheHintsNews reports that Otti had during a stakeholders meeting at the weekend announced Mr. Ide Udeagbala as the Mayor of Aba city.
Otti, while making the announcement said in a viral video that the era of indigenes and non-indigene was gone in the state.
Reacting to the development, the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia state, Eze Chikamnayo, has cautioned Otti against acts and comments that could set the state on fire.
Chikamnayo in a statement issued Monday also called on President Bola Tinubu and all the security agencies to quickly call Otti to order to avoid turning a peaceful state to a crisis zone.
He maintained that for the avoidance of doubt, Aba belongs to two related Communities known as Aba Na Ohazu, saying it was not a no man’s land as is being painted by Otti and can never be.
Chikamnayo noted: “It is therefore preposterous and mischievous for anyone, no matter his position, to arrogate to himself the non-existing powers to mangle this irrefutable fact of history because of temporary political advantage.
“Non-indigenes from other parts of Abia State and or Igbo land like old Bende, Anambra, Enugu, Imo State or Ebonyi, regardless of their wealth or status should never allow themselves to be deceived by Mr Alex Otti to assume that they can mutate into the owners of Aba.
“By recklessly declaring that Aba is a No Man’s Land, Mr Alex Otti is inadvertently setting Abia on fire and instigating avoidable unrest in that peaceful city. For reasons best known to him, he is ostensibly trying to stoke this fire of indigene – non indigene dichotomy to further insult the Ngwa Nation and polarize the polity.
“Maybe because of his inert desire to assuage his own internal contradictions that has made him a bipolar element with identity crisis hovering between Nvosi and Arochukwu, Otti is now drawing Abia State into needless ‘Katakata’ that will lead to loss of lives and property if not nipped in the bud.
“Since assumption of office, Mr Alex Otti’s penchant for playing to the gallery is legendary. If he truly wants to patronize his fellow big men like Bordeaux, Udeagbara and Co, he must not reduce them to canon fodders thereby setting them up against the people.”