* Otti 

The sack of Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP by the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division  indicates that the lawlessness  and impunity of the PDP era would be revisited gradually.



 For  the governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Alex Otti, the Court of Appeal ruling Thursday, December 31, 2015 is indeed a New Year gift.

 The court, presided over by Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, ruled that Otti polled 164,332 votes  against Ikpeazu’s 114,444, and ordered INEC to swear him in as governor.

 The  PDP and Gov Ikpeazu’s army of supporters may not really be shocked by the judgment as few weeks ago they had predicted their loss and in a press statement expressed lack of confidence in the panel of judges.

 Conversely, when news of the judgement seeped into Umuahia, Abia State capital and other cities in the State,  hundreds  Abians  lined the streets in jubilation. As a person, Ikpeazu may not be that unpopularly, but the people were  rejoicing over  a Daniel-like  judgment which has broken the chains of PDP's tyranny  for the past 16 years

 Like all corrupt and despotic governments, Abia PDP was determined  to keep Abia chained and enslaved. And in Ikpeazu, they found a stooge willing to do their bidding. Reluctantly, Otti, favoured to win the PDP governorship ticket was forced to defect to APGA. His subsequent  nomination as APGA's  candidate quaked Abia  PDP. 

 Otti, was branded by  Abia PDP  as a foe that must be crushed. They went as far as sponsoring an  internal crisis  in Abia APGA. 

 A former  governorship candidate of the party, Chief Ufomba, was sponsored to  challenge Otti’s nomination. He sued the leadership of Chief Victor Umeh, then National Chairman of the party, claiming that he was the candidate of the party.
However, Umeh and Otti triumphed at the court. In their desperation,  the administration of Chief Theodore Orji which was in power unleashed its power of incumbency on all fronts  on Otti and his platform, APGA.

 However, rather than reverse the progress of Otti,  the fortunes of Otti and his popularity among the voters grew.  When the election finally came, it was marred by controversies. While contestants in other states knew their fate on April, Ikpeazu and Otti had to wait for a controversial supplementary election to know who would be handed certificate of return by INEC.  PDP amidst allegations oF electoral malpractices and intimidation was awarded victory.

 Otti headed for the election tribunal, and  he was floored by Ikpeazu.

 With the trouncing of the Governor at the Appeal Court, Otti is showing signs that he may be the one to laugh last. But that is if the Supreme Court upholds the December 31, 2015  ruling. 

 For now, Abians are  celebrating  the APGA candidate's victory.

 Otti,  immediate past Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc, a leading retail financial institution in Nigeria, was born February 18, 1965 and married with three children