The Owerri Zone Awareness Coalition, OZAC, has urged the Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodinma to avoid making the mistake of producing a wrong successor after his administration, to avoid moving the state backwards at a time the world is moving at breakneck speed.

OZAC gave the advice in an open letter addressed to the Governor, signed by its President, Emmanuel Okwu, and Secretary, Austin Echefu.

It stated that the letter is written at a defining moment for the state when the legacy of the Governor will no longer be limited to roads, buildings, or political victories, but the quality of leadership been midwifed by him as successor, noting that power ends but its consequences do not.

The group maintained that Who comes after Uzodinma matters a lot as it will either consolidate on his gains or dismantle them with frightening speed.

“Let it be said clearly that your administration has not been without visible effort. From road rehabilitation across key urban centres, to improved security coordination, urban renewal projects, and renewed activity in health and education infrastructure, your Government has restored a measure of structure where chaos once thrived. These are tangible footprints that history will record.

“But history will also demand an answer to a larger question: did you secure the future or mortgage it? Succession is not a gamble. It is the final and most decisive test of leadership. Any error here will erase years of effort in a single reckless political transaction.”the letter read.

OZAC stated that it aligns firmly with the legitimate aspiration of Owerri Zone to produce the next Governor of the state, pointing out that equity, balance, and fairness justify the demand.

It, however, made it clear that zoning is not a substitute for competence, maintaining that the zone must not be reduced to a shelter for mediocrity simply because it is its turn.

“This is no longer the era of political experimentation. Imo is too exposed, too educated, and too globally connected to be handed over to political rookies, social media warriors, or gatecrashers who stumbled into relevance without depth, experience or capacity “the group added.

The Abia state government on Monday 9th December 2025, held her regular Weekly Executive Council meeting presided over by the Governor, His Excellency Dr Alex Otti, OFR, wherein various strategic decisions where taken.

Briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu informed the press that His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti OFR will on Tuesday, December 16 2025, unveil the Abia State 25-years Development Plan,a strategic future -proof document that will articulate and chart a deliberate and transformative roadmap for the state.

This development plan is anchored on a collective vision for economic resilience, infrastructural expansion, social advancement and generational security.

The development plan is also structured to rest on 6 key pillars including people and resources, growth and stability, sustainable economy, social infrastructure and inclusion, Governance and reform and cross -sector linkages” Prince Okey stated.

Upon implementation, the development plan would help build a dynamic and inclusive economy by unlocking local potentials and attracting global investment across key sectors in the state.

In line with the developmental vision of Governor Otti, the plan seeks a future of modern climate -resilient infrastructure, including clean energy, digital connectivity and sustainable urban planning, which will be governed by strong institutions that promote transparency, citizens participation, peace, security and inclusive development.

Answering questions from journalists during the briefing, the Honoursble Commissioner for Budget and planning Mr Kingsley Anosike disclosed that the 25-year development plan has been strengthened with Legislative backing to ensure continuity across successive administrations, noting that the Legal Framework marks a major departure from the previous administration’s 30-year development plan, which he said, lacked Statutory Protection.

“The new legal seal would require any future review of the blueprint to pass through the same legislative process, thereby safeguarding the plan from abrupt abandonment or alterations”

“Why this development plan is different is that it is going to be backed by legislation. The Legislatures are going to put a seal on this plan, warranting that any future review would have to pass through the same process of legislation, that is what is different.

Mr Anosike further explained that the revised document became necessary because the original 2020 plan was heavily shaped by the uncertainties of the COVID-19 era and no longer reflected present economic realities.

He said the present Government undertook the review to correct gaps in the original 2020 plan, which he described as heavily influenced by the global pandemic.

“Recall that in 2020 the then administration had a 30-year plan that extends to 2050; so when this administration came on board, they constituted a team to review the plan.
The reason for the review is simple, and it is that the plan in 2020 was a COVID-driven plan”

“So plans written from that period onwards were written considering the situation on ground, as everybody thought the world was coming to an end.

“Now, it is not a jettison of the plan; It is a review of the plan because between 2020 and 2025, five years stretch of economic activities, economic turbulence and everything happening in the world.

“Any serious administration would want to look at the indices, the framework of whatever the development plan is and realign it to current reality and that is what this administration has done,”Mr Anosike noted.

Other matters include that the partnership between the Abia state ministry of Health and the Global Health Organizations has continued to put the state in the limelight, as recent reports released by the Abia state ministry of health indicate that such Interventions have saved the state 2.5 billion naira in health care cost in addition to saving many lives.

“The partners include Revive Belgium, ProHealth, Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, Living Hope Foundation, NDDC, etc”

EXCO equally announced that the Abia state Global medical mission will hold in the state between 15th and 20th December in-collaboration with the state government and the Abia state Diaspora Council and the Abia state ministry of health.

“This is a collaboration between the state government, Abia State Diaspora Council and the Ministry of Health.

“The outreach promises to be a significant medical outreach that will affect the lives of Abians in very many significant ways” the Information Commissioner, Prince Kanu stated.

Exco equally noted that Abia state was recently adopted as the first pilot partner in the federal Civil Service Commission ‘s National Strategic plan, designed to revolutionize career management and modernize public service processes across the country at the just concluded 44th Annual National Council of Civil Service Commissions held in the state.

It also noted that Abia state’s Memorandum on the implementation of the Human Resource Management Information System was equally adopted as a benchmark for good governance by the Council which will be implemented across the 36 states of the federation.

Worthy of mentioning is that about 81 out of the 200 Primary Health Centers in the first phase of the “Project Ekwueme” have been functionalized while the remaining will be fully equipped and functionalized in the new year.

The executive council meeting equally announced that the maternal and Child birth round 2 program in- collaboration between the office of the wife of the Governor, the Abia state ministry of health, the Abia state ministry of women Affairs and the Abia state Primary Health Care Development Agency will be flagged off Tuesday this week (9th Dec.2025) .

Further more,The National Malaria Elimination Program is setting up a vector surveillance laboratory at the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic,Aba,a medical facility meant to track the prevalence of Malaria disease in Abia state.

The Abia state executive Council equally announced that “earlier on Monday 8th December 2025 ,a Hackathon, referred to as the Abia Startathon, commenced at the UNDP-Built Unipod at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture.

“The upcoming summit will showcase groundbreaking innovations from SMEs, developers, entrepreneurs, especially young innovators”

The summit would feature the official launch of the Abia Technology Startup Law, a major step towards boosting digital innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Ministry of Agriculture would also be launching the Abia Agricultural Dynamic Database System (Abia ADDS) during the summit, adding that, the digital platform will enhance data-driven planning and support innovation across the state’s agricultural value chain.

Answering questions from journalists on the alleged hijacking of Bus and kidnapping along the Owerrinta -Airport road, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma stated that while Abia and Imo States have swung into action and started a joint security patrol on the road and aslo apprehended the criminals behind the initial attack, the report of a bus being hijacked remain unconfirmed.
Ekeoma disclosed that Governor Otti’s proactive disposition to dealing with insecurity is the reason why no Abia territory is under the control of criminals, ssuring that the administration of Governor Alex Otti is committed to the protection of lives and property of the people even as the yuletide draws closer.

Ferdinand Ekeoma
Special Adviser to the Governor
(Media and Publicity)
December 9, 2025.

The Nigerian Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to send troops to the Republic of Benin to help restore stability following last weekend’s attempted military coup.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the endorsement on Tuesday during plenary after lawmakers reviewed the president’s letter in the Committee of the Whole, in line with Section 5, Part II of the Constitution. Lawmakers voted unanimously to authorize the regional security deployment.

Akpabio described the resolution as timely, noting that instability in a neighbouring country could threaten the wider region. “An inj¥ry to one is an inj¥ry to all,” he said, adding that Nigeria has a duty to support its partners under the ECOWAS framework. The Senate is expected to forward its formal approval to Tinubu immediately.

In his request, Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s historic responsibility to assist Benin under ECOWAS security arrangements, warning that urgent intervention was needed to prevent further deterioration.

The attempted coup occurred on Sunday when soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” declared on national television that President Patrice Talon had been removed. Benin’s loyal forces quickly regained control. Sources close to Talon said the army was restoring order in Cotonou and across the country.

Following the failed takeover, ECOWAS announced plans to deploy its standby force. The regional deployment will include troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana to support Benin’s government and military in maintaining constitutional order and territorial integrity.