Abia: You can’t return to power on Tinubu’s name, Otti’s aide tells Kalu, other opposition leaders

An aide to Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, Rev. Fr. Christian Anokwuru, has described as absurd the belief by former political leaders in the state that they could regain power by merely invoking the influence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Anokwuru, who is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Policies and Interventions, said those who allegedly misgoverned and underdeveloped Abia in the past lacked the moral standing to challenge the current administration.

He made the remarks on Sunday in Umuahia while delivering a speech titled “Abia Opposition: Stop Tinubu Name-Dropping and Face the Fact!” during a news briefing.

The governor’s aide was reacting to what he described as sustained criticisms and media attacks against Governor Otti by opposition figures in the state, including former governor and current senator, Orji Uzor Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Anokwuru mocked the opposition for banking on President Tinubu’s achievements and the Renewed Hope agenda, rather than presenting concrete legacies from their own years in office.

“It is a long-established principle in both law and public life that anyone who demands equity must come with clean hands,” he said.

“This principle is particularly relevant in the current political climate in Abia State. When former governors and past political office holders, whose records are still fresh in the minds of the people, gather to attack the present administration, the public has the right to interrogate not just their claims, but also their credibility.”

He argued that the opposition’s criticism of the Otti administration was largely built around references to the Renewed Hope agenda, rather than evidence-based arguments.

“It is expected that an opposition made up of former governors and political leaders should challenge a sitting government based on their own achievements, not by repeatedly name-dropping President Tinubu,” Anokwuru said.

He stressed that opposition plays a vital role in democracy only when it is credible and constructive.

“Opposition is essential in a democracy when it serves as a check on power, sharpens governance and protects public interest.

“However, it loses its moral force when driven by selfishness and bitterness rather than facts, and by personal resentment rather than policy-based critique.”

According to him, the current posture of the Abia opposition reflects desperation rather than genuine engagement.

“What we see now appears less like constructive engagement and more like a coalition driven by animosity, political survival and relevance,” he said.

Anokwuru expressed concern over what he described as the opposition’s reliance on the perceived political might of President Tinubu.

“Opposition politics should be built on ideas, track records and alternative visions, not borrowed federal influence.

“Federal proximity cannot replace local legitimacy, nor can it erase the lived experiences of Abia people under previous administrations.”

He noted that President Tinubu had continued to support Governor Otti, whom he described as “one of the best performing governors in Nigeria, if not the best,” rather than align with what he called opposition propaganda.

Anokwuru said Abia deserved an opposition that is honest, fact-driven and genuinely committed to the welfare of the people.

“Anything short of that is not opposition in the true sense, but a reactionary alliance struggling to stay relevant in the face of changing political realities,” he said.

He added that constructive opposition should focus on identifying gaps, proposing solutions and holding government accountable in ways that ultimately benefit the state.

“When opposition degenerates into deliberate misinformation, it ceases to be a democratic asset and becomes a personal vendetta,” he added.

(NAN).