From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A political pressure group, Abia Good Governance Coalition (ABGGC), has urged Governor Alex Otti to immediately relocate to the Government House, Umuahia, as his continued execution of the government’s activities from his private residence was unacceptable.
Otti, while addressing the people of the state, recently, said he decided to operate from his private residence since the Government House in Umuahia was looted and rendered unusable by appointees of the immediate past administration.
He added that the huge amount that would be involved in renovating and retrofitting the Government House made it more expedient for him to operate from his private residence.
The group’s facilitator, Maduakolam Okorie, who queried the rationale behind Otti’s continued use of his private residence maintained that his action was a breach of constitutional provisions.
“Gov Otti, since assumption of office, operates from his residence in a rural community of Umuehim Nvosi, in Isialangwa South LGA. All the state government’s functions are conducted there.
“This is in total violation of the laws and rules on state creation that stipulates that the seat of government and business of governance will be conducted at the capital of each state and this is constitutional.
“Abia State Government has two Government Houses in the state capital, Umuahia and an annex in Aba. Previous Governors from 1999 conducted the government’s businesses from either of the two.”
The group was of the view that the cost of running the activities of government from Otti’s private residence was enormous and should have been less if he was operating from the Government House. It, therefore, called on the governor to relocate to his official residence.