We won’t borrow for consumption, but investment — Otti

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Tuesday vowed that his administration will not borrow a dime for consumption, except for investment. He also emphasised that he has no plans to leave the Labour Party (LP).

Governor Otti made this known during a dinner organized by the state government for the Abia State Global Economic Advisory Council, marking the beginning of the 2025 mid-year retreat for government appointees.

Reacting to false claims by the opposition that he has been borrowing to run the state, the governor clarified that his administration “would only borrow for investments when the need arises and not for consumption,” adding that the state has not borrowed in the two years and one month since he assumed office.

Citing the recently published debt profile report by the Debt Management Office (DMO), which ranked Abia first among states that reduced their debts between March 2024 and March 2025 by 57.20%—the highest reduction nationwide—Otti stated, “There is nothing wrong with criticizing the government, but you must criticize with facts. Opinions are free, but facts are sacred.”

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He continued, “Some people have claimed that we are borrowing. They are lying. Did I borrow from them? I saw a report yesterday that says 26 out of 36 states actually reduced their loans in the last 12 months, and Abia came first, having reduced its debt profile by 57.20% in one year.

“So, when we say we have not borrowed, we know what we are talking about. But that we haven’t borrowed doesn’t mean we won’t. We will borrow when necessary—for regenerative investments. We will not borrow to eat. We will not borrow for consumption. We will borrow for capital expenditure.”

Governor Otti also addressed speculations about him planning to join the APC or any coalition being formed by opposition elements in the country. He stated clearly, “I am still a member of Labour, with the Supreme Court having resolved the crisis that once threatened the survival of the party.”

“Let me briefly address two concerns some members of the Global Economic Council have raised. One is the report about five governors decamping to APC. I am still a member of the Labour Party and not considering any defection.”

“The second issue is about the coalition. Many people have asked if I am a member. My response: have you seen my name on any list? Have you seen me at any coalition meeting? We are busy doing the work the people of Abia elected us to do. I have not attended any coalition meeting, and I have not been invited to one.”

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“I am happy where I am. Yes, we had internal issues—if you don’t have issues, you’re probably not alive. But you face problems and solve them. You don’t run away and pretend they don’t exist.”

“When we had our issues, we fought all the way to the Supreme Court and reclaimed our party. I believe that the remaining concerns will be resolved soon because the Supreme Court’s judgment was very clear.”

Otti reiterated that his administration is committed to doing things the right way, warning that those unwilling to align with this vision have no place in his government. He criticized the idea of “stomach infrastructure,” saying Abians are not people who believe in handouts, but rather hardworking individuals who only need an enabling environment—such as good roads and a clean environment—to thrive in business and life.

He added that providing portable water is the next priority for his administration, stating, “We want to reach a point where you can open your tap and have running public water. In the next few weeks, we will flag off water projects in Aba, Umuahia, and several other areas. We will get there.”

The governor also disclosed the establishment of a Project Implementation Bureau, headed by an Abia-born expert, Mr. Onyinye Nwosu, who left his job in Canada to serve. He thanked the 20-member Advisory Council for their sacrificial support and valuable contributions, which he said have helped drive the state’s achievements over the past two years.

“I want to thank everyone who has contributed, especially the Council. No matter how you look at it, everything revolves around the economy. If you get the economy right, everything else will fall into place.

“That’s why we went the extra mile to convince these 20 brilliant minds—who are otherwise extremely busy—to guide us. Thankfully, they accepted. They’ve been active for a year now, meeting quarterly or as needed to offer ideas. Our job is to implement them,” the governor said.

Earlier in her remarks on behalf of the Council, the Co-Chair of the Abia Global Economic Advisory Council, Prof. Ms. Arunma Oteh, expressed the council’s satisfaction with the progress in Abia. She stated that the state is now truly number one—not just alphabetically—but in performance as well.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE