The Governor had during an event at the Aba Sports Club, disclosed that he will appoint a billionaire like Ide John Udeagbala as the mayor of Aba among others.

Otti stated that all residents of Aba are one and the same people, stressing that every resident is an indigene of the city.

Reacting to the Governor’s statement, the Indigenous People of Aba under the umbrella body of the Aba Ngwa People’s Forum, at the end of their meeting in Aba, described the Governor’s statement as unacceptable and provoking and warned that Aba is not ‘a no man’s land’.

It warned that it will never accept a non-indigene of Aba as the mayor or transition committee chairman of the two council areas in Aba, stressing that such appointments do not occur in other metropolitan cities like Port Harcourt, Awka and Owerri.

They urged the Governor to appoint non-indigenes as mayors and transition committee chairmen in Umuahia, Bende, Ohafia and other areas of the state, if he must appoint a non-indigene to preside over Aba.

The Forum also alleged that the Governor had excluded the people of Aba South from appointments to the State Executive Council and market leadership positions in the state.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Mr. Ogechukwu Ogbonna, Engr. Greg Obinna and Mr. Chintua Nwagba, the Forum urged Otti to give the indigenous their deserved respect.