The governor of Abia State, Alex Otti over the weekend celebrated Prof. Nnena Otti, the Independent National Electoral Commission—INEC–  returning officer who insisted that the Governor has been the winner of the 2023 gubernatorial election despite pressure from opposition party.

Governor Otti who attended the wedding of the Federal University of Technology —FUTO–  VC’S daughter, at Ebonyi state, disclosed that even with the similarities of name, he never met the Prof. until three month after his inauguration as then state governor.

The governor while recounting stated that immediately he learnt that she was the INEC returning officer, he called and sent her a message, none of which she responded to but surprisingly, when pressure came from opposition party that she should announced them as the winner, she stood her ground.

In his words: ‘I was somewhere and I got a message that Prof. Nnenna Otti has been appointed the returning officer for Abia state, of course I have known about her but I never met her, so there was a little bit of confusion going through my head.

“She was appointed vice chancellor sometimes in 2021 and because of similarity of names, I tried to reach out to her, I didn’t have her number, somebody sent me her number, I called she didn’t pick the call, I sent her a message, she didn’t respond. I said this woman that doesn’t want to talk to me or respond to my message, let me just leave her and she never responded to that message up till today

“So when she was appointed a returning officer, I was a little bit scared but then I left everything in the hands of God and she came and did something that people don’t do.

“All the pressure that was mounted on her, she turned them down and she did the right thing and I want to use this podium this evening to recognize and thank her for what she did for Abia State.

“I think its more like what she did for God, because she followed her conscience, if she didn’t, I will probably not be here today.

“The truth is that I have ran election in Abia in 2015 and won it but the wrong result was announced by the returning officer, 2019 was the same case, so if she announced anything, nothing would have happened, we would go to court.

“It took two or three months after my swearing in, I was at my house when a friend of mine who is the Ooni of Ife called me, he was at Imo airport and say ‘your excellency, I am here with Prof. Nnena Otti’ and he wondered how I have not me her before.

“It is important to bring all these thing up because a few thing have been said that, of course she is my sister. She is my sister from another mother from Ebonyi state while I am from Abia state.

“I used this forum to thank her for the great job she did and it’s for Abia people to tell us whether there have been a change between that time and now

“While you are thanking God, you should also thank prof. Otti and that is why when I got this invitation, I said no matter what happen I will there.

“Congratulations the couple, congratulations the parent, congratulations everyone who found himself in this place.” The governor concluded.