Otti Ends Tenure Debate: Abia Local Officials Will Serve Four Years

Abia Governor Alex Otti has ended months of uncertainty over the tenure of the state’s elected local government officials, saying they will remain in office for four years rather than two.

The 17 council chairmen and 184 councillors elected on November 2, 2024, are therefore expected to serve until 2028, subject to the amended local government law. The issue had generated speculation that their tenure would expire in November 2026 under the previous two-year provision.

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Before the election, we went to the House of Assembly to amend that law and the House of Assembly gave the local government mayors and their councillors four years.

Speaking during his monthly media chat, “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia, Otti said the state House of Assembly changed the law shortly before the election. “Before the election, we went to the House of Assembly to amend that law and the House of Assembly gave the local government mayors and their councillors four years,” he said.

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We have just opened a citizen engagement centre. That centre is technology-driven. And we have installed a helpline.

Otti also announced the launch of a technology-driven Citizen Engagement Centre, designed to give residents direct access to the government. He said the centre includes a helpline and an email address for reports, complaints and transparency-related communication.

Turning to health, the governor warned of rising cases of cancer, kidney failure, brain tumours and stroke among young Nigerians. He urged residents to pay closer attention to diet and preventive healthcare, noting that some people were undergoing complicated and costly organ transplants or dealing with terminal illnesses. Otti said the state spent more than 500 million naira in August alone supporting sick, elderly and vulnerable residents.

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Some of them are undergoing some complicated and expensive kidney transplants and other organ transplants. Some of them are dealing with terminal illnesses.