Compulsorily retired Assistant Chief Security Officer ( ACSO ) at the Abia State University Uturu ( ABSU), Mr Ifeanyichukwu Orji has sent  an SOS ‘ to the Abia State governor and Visitor to the University, Dr Alex Otti urging him to rescue his family from the avoidable stress  he said the university administration has subjected them for many years on,  by failing to reinstate him in office as approved by the state government on the recommendation of a Visitation Panel after he was earlier relieved of his duties since February, 2011

He told the governor in his petition dated 15th July, 2026 that following the recommendation of  a 7-man Judicial Panel of Inquiry and subsequent White Paper, the university administration ” hurriedly relived him of his duties as Assistant Chief Security Officer vide their letter REG/SS/1/F.868 of February, 2011″.

He stated that following his petition through a Visitation Panel instituted by the state government to look into the affairs of the University between 2000 and 2010, the Panel reviewed his case, and recommended his reinstatement as ACSO, which recommendation he stated, the Government accepted.

He therefore told the governor that it was a big surprise to him that ” the university administration that hurriedly implemented the recommendation for the relieve of his duties, has continued to hesitate in implementing the approval to reinstate him in his duties.

According to his petition to the governor, the University Administration had taken no steps to implement the Government directive to reinstate him,  the reason being that ” a case of such magnitude with its attendant implications, require Government directive and possible disposal action”.

Petitioner Orji  therefore lamented that  having been kept out of office for this long years without any financial benefit,  despite the attendant hardship and stress to himself and family hence,  urged governor Otti, who he credited with the reputation for upholding justice and fairness, to give his case /petition, his  (governor Otti ) usual humane and equitable consideration.

Orji however told Journalists that the Chief of Staff ( COS ) to governor Otti, Pastor Caleb Ajagba in his letter marked ” Decision On Request For Reinstatement” dated July, 30, 2026, acknowledged his petition to the governor, requesting his reinstatement in accordance with the 2010 Visitation Panel’s recommendation, and  his alleged Government approval.

Orji  further told the journalists that the COS in his letter regretted that after careful review , ” the directive for his reinstatement cannot be granted ” as it appears that your compulsory retirement on 4th February 2011 remains valid and binding”.

Orji informed journalists that the COS also noted that he ( Petitioner Orji ) had not received his Pension Payments since his retiring, informing him that the  ” University will be informed to initiate the process of paying your pension immediately, including any arrears from your retirement date, pending verification by the relevant pension authorities” adding that this decision ensures that his rights as a compulsorily retired officer are fully recognized and respected.

Petitioner Orji who stated that the University had in a letter to the Chairman, Judicial Panel of Inquiry On the Recovery Government Properties, Funds, and Other Related Matters, referred to  his  (Ifeanyichukwu Orji)  petition.

He said that the  University’s letter dated 26th February, 2025 and signed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Joshua U. Ogbonna, noted that the Visitation Panel had upon the review of  his (Orji’s petition) and recommendation for his recall as the Assistant Chief Security Officer, stated that ” the matter is before the university Governing Council as a case of such magnitude with its attendant implications requires Government directive and possible action” .

BY GORDI UDEAJAH

Updating on his decision on not leaving or not leaving his Labour Party, Abia state governor Dr Alex Otti has said that it is tomorrow or the future, that can decide or determine his change of decision, basing it on that ” nobody knows tomorrow”.

The Governor gave the update Thursday night during his monthly chat with journalists who demanded update on his decision following the recent Court verdict that ruled the expiration of the tenure of the former National Chairman of the Labour Party Mr Julius Abure and endorsing the leadership of senator Nenadi Usman, instead of Abure.

The national leadership struggle between Abure an Usman had lingered creating fears that if Abure retained the position, Otti’s chance of securing the Labour Party 2027 guber ticket would be in jeopardy.

But elated Otti answered the question saying that his group that supports Senator Usman maintained that Abure’s tenure had expired and went to court, who affirmed that it expired.

“We are not in election period. If election comes, we will still run under the Labour Party, but nobody knows tomorrow. I am still in the Labour Party today”

Otti also reacted to the report that some past and present public office holders will soon drag him to court for residing and operating from his Nvosi country home instead of from Umuahia Government House.

He said that he is expecting to be sued in any law court for operating from his Nvosi country home in Isialangwa South LGA , and that his lawyers are waiting.

“I am therefore waiting to be sued. My lawyers are prepared. I have looked at the constitution, there is no provision that I must live somewhere.
The state in which he met the Government House was not livable in, and I am sure, Abians are aware of this. Hence , I don’t owe them that explanation.”

The government house governor Otti inherited has been demolished, and is being redesigned, modernized and rebuilt.

The governor during the interaction also reported on had r his activities in different sectors of the Abia economy since his last media interaction last December, stating that in the education sector, school enrollment has increased to over 700, 000 from about 173,000, with the recruitment of additional new 4,000 teachers process ongoing.

He announced plans by the state government to rate and categorize hotels in the state for easy access using, GPS (Global Positioning System), adding that every hospitality facility in the state will be “digitally rated and enumerated.

His words “in the next few months, all the hotels in the state will be assessed using verified criteria, such that at the click of a button, information on them including Tariffs , services available among others would be accessed by intending customers.

By Gordi Udeajah

Abia state government has set articulation of an Industrial Policy into motion for which a committee has been constituted to drive the process and bringing it to fruition.

The state Information Commissioner Prince Okey Kanu said yesterday that the Industrial Policy is a strategic move to boost the ease of doing business and conducive environment for the people and prospective investors in the state

He said that the policy has become necessary, in view of the strategic and massive transformation of the state in all areas of governance and the institutional reforms that the state government has carried out in the past 31 months.

The Commissioner who said that the administration of governor Alex Otti in the state has underscored the dueness of an industrial policy that can drive the industrial development of the state through its Ease of Doing Business Agency, has done quite well to enhance the ease of doing business environment in the state.

According to him, ” a new industrial policy, together with a very conducive ease of doing business environment, would help to attract investors and development to the state, as well as market its potential, while strengthening its comparative advantage in various areas of resource availability and management”.

The Commissioner further said that
in line with the state 2025 – 2050 development plan that would be championed by the Umuahia Capital Development Authority ( UCDA )  Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) and Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA), the state government has initiated more plans for urban renewal of the state which

The initiative, the Commissioner said , would address infrastructure programme aimed at enhancing street naming, house numbering, and geo-reference to ensure order and all-round economic growth of the state.

“We know that in most of our cities, when somebody directs you to a particular number, it will take some time to find that number. Because our streets are not well named, they are not well numbered, and that creates a lot of confusion.

“So the state government has come up with an initiative to address this gap. The state government is executing a long-term development programme or plan, 2025 to 2050.

“Of course, you know that planning, security, logistics, and digital services to a larger extent depend on clear locations and addresses.

“You can imagine where there is a fire outbreak somewhere, and you are directing the fire service to come there, and there is no street address.