The 17 local government chairmen in Abia State have said they will continue to support Governor Alex Otti even after they leave their jobs.
Some people have been spreading rumors online that these chairmen, also called mayors, are thinking about joining a new political party, the All Progressive Congress (APC). But the mayors say these rumors are not true.
The mayors released a message saying that the online gossip is just made-up stories with no truth in them.
Elelenta Nwambusi Elele, the leader of the local government chairmen in Abia, also said they never had a meeting in another state called Rivers, as the rumors claimed. So, he asked everyone to ignore these false stories.
Elele added, “There was never a time when mayors were fired by Governor Alex Chioma Otti.”
He explained that the people spreading these rumors don’t understand the local laws and are trying to cause trouble. Governor Otti, he says, always follows the rules and respects these laws.
The mayors also made it clear that there was never a secret deal to force them into their roles as chairmen. They said that the current process of choosing them followed all the right legal steps under Abia State law.
The mayors thanked Governor Otti for letting them serve under his leadership and promised to keep supporting him with the plans he has for Abia.
One of the mayors, Ndubuisi Ike from Umunnochi, said that they are already preparing for a smooth changeover when they leave their positions.