The Arochukwu Kingdom spared nothing as the great people of Aro Okigbo poured out in their thousands to receive one of their own, an ancestral son, Dr. Alex Otti, the Abia Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate.
Otti rounded off his campaign tour of the 17 local government areas in Abia on Friday with a two-day tour of Arochukwu Local Government Area, which took him to Abam, Ihechiowa, Ututu and Arochukwu, where he met with traditional rulers, political stakeholders and the people of the various communities.
The LP standard bearer, who is highly favoured to win the March 11, 2023 governorship election was received with much exhilaration by animated crowd of supporters, who sang and danced in the streets and at the rally grounds across the local government.
Even members of the council of traditional rulers were equally as excited as the people in the streets.
“This is our own (Nke a bu nkeanyi). This one is our own,” His Majesty, the Eze Aro of Arochukwu Kingdom, declared as Otti and his entourage settled down in the palace during a courtesy visit.
He added: “Nobody abandons their child. Nobody abandons their farm because its overgrown with grass. So, you’re our very own.
“Arochukwu Kingdom, you know how we have always done it. There has never been a time when the Aro people ceased to support you. We’re solidly behind you, and the reason we’ve always done that is because you are our own. Arochukwu is saying to you, ‘Go ahead.'”
The traditional rulers thanked the LP candidate for all the developmental projects he had executed in Arochukwu as a private citizen, especially his intervention in the area of roads. They said they were hopeful he would do much more when he eventually becomes the governor of the state, come May 29, 2023.
Speaking at the various town hall meetings and rallies, Otti thanked the people of Arochukwu LGA for consistently supporting his gubernatorial ambition since 2015, when he first ran for the office of the governor of Abia State.
He said he had not come to campaign as he was certain that everybody in the area was “Obidient and Ottified.” He reminded the people that the presidential election comes up next Saturday, February 25, 2023 and appealed to them to get to the polling units early and vote for the candidates of Labour Party, from the presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, to the senatorial candidate, Abia North, Chief Nnamdi Iro Oji, and Arochukwu-Ohafia Federal Constituency candidate, Hon Ibe Okwara Osonwa.
“Then, on March 11, that will be the mother of all elections. Ensure you get there early, by 6.30am, before the INEC people come. Observe the BVAS machines and make sure there are no preloaded numbers in them. The screen should read 0-0-0-0 before the accreditation starts.
“You will be given two ballot papers. The first one is for the governorship and the second, House of Assembly. Look for the logo with the picture, ebe esere madu ato – Papa, Mama and Pikin. You will not see my face or name, Alex Otti, there. You will only see the symbol, LP. That is where you will vote,” Otti schooled the locals at Arochukwu and all the other communities.
With him on the tour were his wife, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti; the deputy governorship candidate, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu; the National Assembly candidates, Nnamdi Iro Oji and Ibe Okwara Osonwa, Abia North and Arochukwu-Ohafia Federal Constituency, respectively, and Hon Uchenna Okoro, Arochukwu State Constituency candidate.
Also on the campaign trail were the State Campaign Coordinator of the Alex Otti Campaign Council, Hon Iheanacho Obioma and members of the campaign council.
