Former sports minister Dalung praises Gov. Otti’s leadership and development drive

Former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung says Alex Otti’s willingness to admit failure sets him apart from public officials who shift blame when confronted with shortcomings.

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I failed them. I failed them.

Dalung was responding to Otti’s apology to the Abia State University community after an indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities chapter at the institution. Otti said the union’s demands had received approval from his administration but stalled in bureaucratic processes. “I failed them. I failed them,” the governor said.

The strike began on Aug. 11 after the university’s governing council failed to meet a 14-day ultimatum. ASUU demanded implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, action on irregular promotions, payment of unremitted cooperative deductions and outstanding Earned Academic Allowances dating back to 2009. A committee led by the Secretary to the Abia State Government later intervened, and the government said on Aug. 24 that the outstanding matters had been addressed.

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I have watched the things happening in Abia under Otti, and one thing that is difficult to miss is the sheer volume of work going on across the state.

Dalung said the apology formed only part of his assessment of Otti’s administration. He pointed to what he described as visible work on roads, schools, healthcare and other infrastructure across Abia. “We have become so used to measuring politicians by party, ethnicity, religion and political alignment that sometimes we struggle to acknowledge good work when we see it simply,” he said.

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We have become so used to measuring politicians by party, ethnicity, religion and political alignment that sometimes we struggle to acknowledge good work when we see it simply.

He also acknowledged that Otti would not get everything right, calling the ASUU dispute evidence of that. But Dalung said there was a difference between a government that made mistakes while trying to deliver and one that spent four years explaining why nothing could be done. He added that he did not live in Abia and had no reason to join Otti’s “political fan club,” but believed visible changes deserved recognition.

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But there is a difference between a government that makes mistakes while genuinely trying to deliver and one that spends four years explaining why nothing can be done.