Chidinma Iroegbu
A political advocacy group, Abia Reform Mandate (ARM), has launched a strongly worded critique of three former governors of Abia State—Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji, and Okezie Ikpeazu—over what it described as a coordinated move against the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the group employed a poetic and literary style to lampoon the former governors, accusing them of presiding over years of underdevelopment while now seeking to undermine what it described as ongoing reforms under the current government.
ARM’s statement, delivered in a form reminiscent of Mark Antony’s famous oration in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, dismissed recent criticisms of Governor Otti as self-serving and disconnected from the realities on the ground in Abia State.
The group declared that it had “come not to trade insults, but to put truth in order,” insisting that governance should be judged by tangible outcomes rather than political titles or rhetoric.
The reaction follows reports that the three former governors recently met with some stakeholders in Abia State to work against Otti’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Since that meeting, ARM noted, there has been a surge in public expressions of support for the incumbent governor, with many residents arguing that Abia State has witnessed more visible development under Otti than in the previous 24 years combined.
In its statement, ARM accused the former governors of leaving behind what it called a legacy of “grand promises and small results,” citing abandoned projects, unpaid wages, and poor infrastructure as hallmarks of past administrations.
The group argued that criticisms of Otti—particularly claims that he lacks “political ambition”—were misplaced, instead describing such ambition as a commitment to clean governance, transparency, and effective service delivery.
ARM further alleged that resistance to Otti’s reforms stemmed from discomfort with accountability, stating that some political actors preferred “courtroom battles, procedural tricks, and manufactured confusion” to visible governance outcomes.
Highlighting what it described as improvements in Aba and other parts of the state, the group said residents were beginning to experience a return of order, renewed economic activity, and a shift from what it termed “the theatre of propaganda” to governance rooted in service.
“The mandate of 2023 was not an accident; it was a verdict,” the statement said, warning against any attempt to reverse what it described as a growing culture of discipline and performance in Abia State.
The group urged Abians to remain vigilant ahead of 2027, cautioning against what it described as a return to politics driven by entitlement rather than results.
ARM concluded by calling on political leaders to earn public trust through measurable outcomes, adding that the title “honourable” must be justified by evidence, accountability, and impact on citizens’ lives.