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Local Government chairmen in Abia <\/a>State have criticised former governors of the state for \u201cganging up\u201d against Governor Alex <\/a>Otti, describing them as \u201carchitects of a failed past who are unsettled by the present progress in the state.\u201d<\/p>\n The council chairmen, who spoke at a press conference on Friday in Umuahia, said the former governors were driven by envy, claiming they felt threatened by Governor Otti\u2019s achievements in office.<\/p>\n Their reaction followed recent comments by some former governors who allegedly vowed to ensure Otti becomes a one-term governor and to hand over Abia <\/a>State to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.<\/p>\n Reading from a prepared statement, the Mayor of Isuikwuato Local Government Area and Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Abia <\/a>State chapter, Hon. Chinedu Ekeke, said any attempt to gang up against the governor would fail, stressing that Otti enjoys widespread grassroots support based on his performance.<\/p>\n Flanked by 16 other council chairmen, Ekeke said the governor\u2019s achievements \u201cspeak clearly and visibly across all 17 LGAs of the state,\u201d adding that since assuming office, Otti has shown strong commitment to good governance, fiscal discipline and effective service delivery.<\/p>\n \u201cAs custodians of grassroots governance, we are in constant interaction with our communities and can attest to the growing public confidence in the direction of governance and the tangible benefits currently being experienced by our people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n According to him, \u201cIt\u2019s apparent that the unease behind these statements arises not from poor governance, but from the stark contrast between Gov. Otti\u2019s achievements and the abysmal records of past administrations.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery project executed, every service delivered, and every reform implemented under his leadership sets a new standard of governance. The standard has unsettled those whose previous tenures left Abia <\/a>with unmet needs and unfulfilled promises.\u201d<\/p>\n Ekeke further stated, \u201cWe recognise that in a democratic system, leadership is determined by performance and the freely expressed will of the electorate through credible elections, and not by declarations, pronouncements or political gang-ups.\u201d<\/p>\n The council chairmen also passed a vote of confidence on Governor Otti, urging his critics to present verifiable facts rather than resorting to threats and blackmail.<\/p>\n \u201cPublic discourse must be approached with facts, not falsehoods, exaggerations, or revisionist narratives,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n