by Obinwanne Mordi

The Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Alex Otti, has formally declared his intention to run for the governorship of Abia State in 2015. The banker, who was at the PDP state secretariat in Umuahia last Wednesday, said he is on a rescue mission in the state to develop it since Governor T. A Orji has failed to do so with the exception of security.

Oti warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must discard the issue of zoning since it killed the principle in 2011 when it fielded President Goodluck Jonathan as against the earlier agreement that it was the turn of the North.

Otti, while addressing the state party executives, also advised the party to rise beyond its present mediocre level and try to wake up and raise the bar to reach the standard where he currently operates.

However, he warned the party executives against sticking to their earlier decision to zone the next governorship to Abia South senatorial Zone, saying the issue of zoning of offices was killed by the national leadership of the party when it went against the North whose turn it was to hold the presidency in 2011.

Otti, who is battling confusion over whether he is from Arochukwu in Abia North or Isiala Ngwa South in Abia Central where currently claims to originate from, said he is not bound by zoning, and added that it is wrong for the party to say it is zoning the governorship to Abia South with exclusion of other areas in the Old Aba division.

“I learnt that you people said you have zoned the governorship to Abia South. No, it is wrong because the national leadership of the PDP had already killed the zoning arrangement in 2011. Remember, that at that time the office of the president was zoned to the North, yet the South is occupying that position today. So, the contest must be thrown open.

“I am coming to rescue the state, the current administration in the state has failed to do anything may be perhaps he tried in the area of security. So, I am coming to rescue the state,” he said.

Otti warned the party exco of the possibility of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of snatching him from the PDP if they fail to do what is appropriate.

It could be recalled that Otti is enmeshed in origin controversy. He insists that he is an indigene of Isiala Ngwa South being born there while his parents hail from Arochukwu in Abia North.

Responding, the state party Chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka, said even though the party has taken its decision, it does not prevent other aspirants from other zones who insist to contest from doing so.

YEditor