Pensioners in Abia State have urged Governor Alex Otti not to spend public funds on campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that his administration’s performance has already guaranteed him overwhelming support for re-election.
The pensioners, operating under the platform of the Concerned Abia Pensioners, made the declaration on Thursday during their biweekly meeting held at the Sub-Treasury premises in Umuahia, the state capital.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the Coordinator, Chief Emeka Okezie, expressed confidence in the governor’s record, particularly his consistent payment of monthly pensions, which he described as unprecedented in the history of the state.
“We are solidly behind this government. The governor should not waste money on campaigns. He has done more than expected within less than three years. To be precise, I have not seen a government like this before,” Okezie said.
He also warned opposition elements against any attempt to manipulate the 2027 electoral process under the guise of electronic registration, saying such efforts would be resisted by the people.
The pensioners assured Governor Otti of their continued support and commitment to ensuring his re-election, adding that it would be impossible for opposition parties to rig him out of office given the goodwill he has built among the electorate.
In separate remarks, the Chairman of Concerned Abia Pensioners, Elder John Kalu; Elder Ochu I. Ochu; and Mrs Agbaraevo Rosetta Iheanyichi commended the administration’s performance, recalling the hardship pensioners endured under previous governments before Otti’s emergence in May 2023.
They praised the administration for ensuring the regular payment of pensions on the 28th of every month, a development they described as a significant departure from the past, when pensioners often went months without receiving their entitlements.
Okezie added, “I am confident that our gratuities will be paid soon. If not immediately, before the end of this month, you will hear something.”
However, while commending the governor, the pensioners reminded him of his promise to pay their outstanding gratuities, expressing confidence that the pledge would be fulfilled in due course.
A former Permanent Secretary in the Abia State civil service, Ochu Ochu, reaffirmed the pensioners’ support for the governor and expressed optimism that all promises made to them would be honoured. He prayed that God would provide the resources required for the state government to clear the backlog of gratuities owed to pensioners.
Beyond financial matters, the group also appealed to Governor Otti to intervene in the ongoing leadership crisis within the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in the state. They called on him to prevail on the outgoing executive to reopen the union’s secretariat, which has remained locked for an extended period, forcing pensioners to hold meetings in open spaces.
The leadership dispute within the NUP in Abia State has been a source of concern for many pensioners, with rival factions laying claim to the union’s leadership. The prolonged closure of the secretariat has disrupted the union’s activities and prevented members from accessing the facility for official engagements.
Governor Alex Otti, a former banker and first-time politician, assumed office on May 29, 2023, following his victory in the governorship election on the platform of the Labour Party. His emergence ended 24 years of People’s Democratic Party rule in Abia State, a development widely celebrated by supporters who expressed dissatisfaction with the previous administration’s handling of workers’ welfare and infrastructure development.
Since taking office, Otti has positioned his administration as a departure from the past, emphasising fiscal discipline, transparency, and improved service delivery. His government has made regular payment of salaries and pensions a priority, a move that has earned him praise from civil servants and retirees alike.
Abia State, like many other states in Nigeria, has struggled with the payment of pension arrears and gratuities over the years. Successive administrations have cited limited revenue and competing financial obligations as reasons for the backlog, which has left many retirees in financial distress.
The payment of gratuities, in particular, has remained a contentious issue across Nigerian states. Gratuity is a lump sum payment made to retirees upon completion of their service, typically calculated based on their final salary and years of service. While the law mandates that gratuities be paid promptly upon retirement, many states have failed to meet this obligation, with some retirees waiting years or even decades for their entitlements.
In Abia State, pensioners have repeatedly lamented the accumulated debt owed to them by previous administrations. Some retirees have died without receiving their gratuities, while others have been forced to take up menial jobs or depend on relatives for survival.
Governor Otti’s administration has acknowledged the pension liability inherited from previous governments and has pledged to address it, though the exact timeline for clearing the backlog remains unclear. In his public statements, the governor has emphasised the need for a sustainable approach to pension payments, arguing that his administration is committed to ensuring that future retirees do not face similar challenges.
The pensioners’ endorsement of Governor Otti’s re-election bid comes at a time of heightened political activity across the country, as parties and candidates begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections. While Otti has not formally declared his intention to seek re-election, political observers expect him to contest, given the Labour Party’s push to consolidate its gains in states where it performed well in 2023.
The 2023 governorship election in Abia State was fiercely contested, with Otti defeating candidates from the PDP and the All Progressives Congress. His victory was part of a broader wave of Labour Party success in the South-East, driven largely by the popularity of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
However, opposition parties in the state have continued to criticise Otti’s administration, accusing it of failing to deliver on campaign promises in areas such as infrastructure, healthcare, and education. The PDP, in particular, has maintained that it remains the dominant political force in the state and has vowed to reclaim the governorship in 2027.
Despite these criticisms, Otti’s supporters argue that his administration has made measurable progress, pointing to road construction projects, improved waste management, and the relative stability in workers’ salaries and pensions as evidence of his competence.
The pensioners, who turned out in large numbers for Thursday’s meeting, concluded the gathering by offering prayers for the governor, the Abia State Government, and members of the governor’s team.
