Abia State governorship candidate for Labour Party (LP), Dr. Alex Otti, says there will be no room for the just appointed Transition Committees of the 17 local government areas in Abia State when he takes over governance May 29, 2023.

Consequently, Otti told aggrieved Abia residents, who have expressed their disapproval to the appointment, not to bother themselves.

Otti spoke Wednesday at a town hall meeting at Obingwa Local Government Area, where he met with select leaders, stakeholders, youths and some physically challenged citizens of the state, in continuation of his campaign tour of the local government areas in the state.

“I am sure you’re smart enough to know that the Local Government Transition Committees they have just appointed are for the purpose of rigging the 2023 election.

“Don’t worry, when we come into office in May, we will remove them,” Otti responded in an unmistakable tone while answering a question by a citizen on the propriety of the recent appointment by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Ikpeazu had recently approved the appointment of some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Transition Committee (TC) chairmen and deputies for the 17 councils.

The LP governorship candidate reiterated his earlier promise to restore local government autonomy in Abia, to make the third arm of the federating unit more efficient and play its statutory role of bringing development closer to the people.

A release from Otti’s Media Aide, Kazie Uko, quoted Otti as saying he would pay all outstanding debts owed both local and state government staff before the end of the year, after he would have become governor by May 29.

“I will pay all outstanding salary and pension arrears owed by the government. It doesn’t matter for how long, whether 56 months or more. By December 31st this year, all the arrears would have been paid,” he declared.