Catholic Diocese of Aba Honours Otti, Backs Leadership as Governor Promises Complete Recovery of Aba

The Catholic Diocese of Aba has honoured the Governor of Abia State, Alex Chioma Otti, during a special thanksgiving Mass held at Christ the King Catholic Church (CKC), Aba, in recognition of what it described as his people-oriented leadership and developmental strides across the state.

Speaking during the service, the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Augustine Ndubueze Echema, said leadership should be driven by compassion and service to the people. Drawing from Matthew 9:36, he noted that Jesus Christ was moved with compassion for the people because their leaders had failed them.

The Bishop likened Governor Otti’s leadership style to that of a compassionate leader committed to the welfare of his people, stating that the governor’s achievements have become his strongest campaign tool.

According to him, Governor Otti’s integrity and performance have earned him widespread support, adding that no one needs to campaign for the governor because his works speak for themselves.

Most Rev. Echema described the honour as historic, noting that it was the first time the Catholic Diocese of Aba was conferring such recognition on a serving governor. He commended Governor Otti for restoring hope to Abians and demonstrating that government exists to serve the people. He also urged Catholic faithful to participate actively in the ongoing voter registration exercise and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of future elections.

Leaders of the Church’s three major organizations—the Catholic Men Organisation (CMO), Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), and Catholic Youth Organisation (CYO)—also praised the governor’s leadership, describing him as a “silent achiever” whose interventions have significantly improved the lives of ordinary citizens, particularly residents of Aba who endured years of hardship due to poor road infrastructure. The groups presented special gifts to the governor in appreciation of his service.

Responding, Governor Otti expressed gratitude to the Diocese and its various organs for what he described as a rare endorsement, assuring them that his administration would continue to prioritize the welfare of the people.

The governor said his administration had laid a solid foundation by addressing critical issues such as environmental sanitation, road infrastructure and water supply, adding that attention would now shift more aggressively to healthcare, education, technology and industrialization.

He further assured residents that his government was set to commence the next phase of Aba’s transformation, announcing plans to flag off the reconstruction of Uratta Road and the Old Express Road as part of efforts to achieve the complete recovery of the commercial city.

Governor Otti emphasized that his administration only embarks on projects after securing adequate funding, revealing that resources for the proposed road projects had already been provided and were available for immediate execution.

The governor also pledged support for the ongoing CMO Secretariat project as well as other development initiatives being undertaken by the CWO and CYO.

The thanksgiving service attracted top government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, members of the Abia State House of Assembly, mayors from across the state, and the Commissioner for Culture, Arts and Creative Economy, Hon. Mathew Ekwuruibe, among others.