Political party affiliation, state of origin irrelevant in Abia appointments — Otti

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to merit-based appointments, saying political affiliation and state of origin are not factors in selecting public officials.

This was disclosed in a Sunday statement signed and released by Ukoha Njoku, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, stating that Otti said this at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia during the wedding ceremony of his Aide-de-Camp, Emeka Ogbonna on Saturday.

The governor said competence and capacity remain the primary considerations in his appointments.

“What gave him the job is merit. At the time I decided to give him the job, I didn’t know where he came from,” Otti said, referring to his ADC.

He added, “We don’t care whether she’s APC or PDP or YPP or whatever. Those are not important. We don’t even care whether she’s from Abia or from Delta or from anywhere. We are interested in what is in her brain.”

The governor also explained the rationale behind appointing Dr. Ezinne Benjamin-Kalu as Chairman of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital Management Board.

According to him, the selection followed a rigorous interview process involving seven candidates.

“The lady that we chose did not only come first, but the difference between her and the person that came second was so wide,” he said.

Otti stressed that his administration prioritises performance over identity.

“So, in Abia here, we are open to anybody. Just come with what is inside your brain. We don’t want to know where you come from. We don’t want to know your political affiliation. We want results. We want performance,” he added.

The governor noted that the merit-based approach cuts across all appointments, including the recruitment of over 5,000 teachers and ongoing plans to hire an additional 4,000.

He maintained that appointing qualified individuals remains key to effective governance and service delivery in the state.