Otti unveils schedule for 2 years anniversary 

The Abia State Governor Alex Otti, has unveiled a schedule of events to mark the second anniversary administration following calls from citizens and stakeholders for a more visible celebration.

Briefing journalists after this week’s Executive Council meeting, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said despite initial plans for a low-key event, Governor Otti had yielded to public demand to make the anniversary more engaging.

“Since that announcement was made public, there have been a lot of pressures on His Excellency to go to town and celebrate.

“So coupled with the pressure across the state, and even outside the state, His Excellency decided to direct that we up the ante of celebration a little bit”, Prince Kanu said.

The Commissioner disclosed that the anniversary activities will begin on May 25, with an interdenominational church service at the International Conference Center, Umuahia.

He revealed that an anniversary Executive Council session would hold on May 26 while the First Lady, Mrs Priscilla Otti will visit orphanages and destitute homes on Children’s Day, May 27.

“Incidentally, that is also the day we celebrate children across the country, the day we refer to as Children’s Day.

“In the same vein, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of the State, Dr. Alex Otti will be on hand to celebrate with the children, during which he will take the traditional salute and the match past mounted by children.

“On the 28th, there will be an Anniversary Lecture to be delivered by no less a person than Dr. Kalu Idika-Kalu, a former Commissioner for Finance in the Old Imo State and Minister for Finance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“On the 29th of May, there will be a State broadcast, by His Excellency, and that will be followed up by a grand finale that will hold at the Umuahia Central Stadium”, Prince Kanu stated.

The Commissioner used the opportunity to inform you that the Commissioning of Port Harcourt Road Aba as well as the flag-off ceremony of Abia Medical City scheduled to hold on the 23rd of this month has been postponed.

“I am sure some of you may have been hearing about it through the grapevine so this is like a formal announcement that that exercise has been put off.

“I recall that Mr. President, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu was to be on hand to flag off that project, but due to his schedule at this time, he elected to come to the state sometime in early June to flag off the project”, the Commissioner said.

He also disclosed that the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and her entourage, including the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima would visit the State to launch her humanitarian outreach on May 23rd.

“Her excellency, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti will be playing host to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinugu, CoN, who will be on hand to launch her Initiative to Support Vulnerable Persons in the state.

“It will be a food outreach and it will involve the distribution of food items and other materials to vulnerable people in the state”, the Commissioner noted.