Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on Sunday night hosted the new and immediate past Mayors of the 17 LGAs and restated his administration’s stance against corruption.
He told the former Mayors that he would work with those of them who performed well as he would accommodate them in his government.
Governor Otti who announced this on Sunday night when he hosted the immediate past Mayors and the current Mayors and their Deputies to a dinner held in the Banquet Hall, Government House Umuahia, appreciated the ex-mayors and their deputies for their various achievements during their short-term in office.
He expressed deep pride and gratitude to them for making themselves available to serve Abians at the grassroots.
“We have found these, and we are going to engage them again fully.
“In the eleven months and a few days that they have spent, you can see the wonders that they did in their different Local Governments.
“They performed so excellently well that I can stand here and tell you that I am very proud of all of them, and it is that pride that informed this gathering”.
Governor Otti who highlighted the deliberate process in selecting the Mayors said that his administration sought individuals with proven character and reputation.
He added that the primary selection criteria were commitment to service and integrity, noting that his administration has zero tolerance for corruption.
The Governor encouraged the new Mayors to prioritise public welfare over personal gain. He warned those with intentions of personal enrichment to reconsider as any official caught in corrupt practices would face consequences.
“In our administration, leadership is about stewardship. We have made it clear that this government has zero tolerance for corruption so if you were thinking that the reason you offered yourself is to steal money, resign now, don’t let us disgrace you.
“I will not spare any efforts in disgracing anybody who steals. I may be lenient and ask you to leave. A Lot of times, I’m not that lenient. I can assure you that this administration would not tolerate stealing and the leader would not steal”, he assured.
The state Chief Executive assured that the performance of the current Mayors would be monitored and compared to that of their predecessors and urged them to draw inspiration from the example set by the out-gone Mayors, saying that the out-gone Mayors have established a trajectory that people would follow.
The Governor promised that his administration would support the new Mayors to succeed irrespective of political affiliation adding that once elections are over, governance commences.
“Once we finish with the election, the next thing is governance and governance does not care about the platform. So, you are all integrated into this family.
“I want to reassure you that for us, what is important is the individual. We don’t care about political parties, they are just platforms.
“Whether you are coming from Zenith Labour Party, YPP, APC, PDP, wherever you are coming from, it doesn’t matter, the important thing is that you have a job to do” Gov. Otti stated.
In their separate speeches on behalf of other out-gone Mayors, the former Mayor of Ohafia LGA, Dr David Ogba who spoke on behalf of the Abia North Senatorial Zone, Former Mayor of Aba South LGA, Mr Uche Nwogu and their Umuahia South counterpart, Anthony Ejike Nnochiri expressed gratitude to the Governor for the opportunity to serve and contribute to grassroots development.
They encouraged the newly elected Mayors to embrace their roles with humility, build on the foundations established by their predecessors, and further advance democracy at the grassroots level.