ALEX OTTI: Taking His Loss With Calm

BY TONY ICHEKU

Alex Otti is not a quitter. When he is convinced about something, he pursues it will all zeal. His character, so far, in the contest for the governorship of Abia state has indeed surprised many, and even after the elections, his tenacity in defending that mandate has also impressed. 

To some people he is just the famed economist, banker, investor, and philanthropist that he actually is. Many assume that the right place for such a man is the boardroom, not the tough terrain of partisan politics. But he has proved that is he is not chicken-hearted and that his foray into politics was borne out of deep-seated conviction that he has much to contribute in uplifting the circumstances of Abia people. More significantly, he has proven that he can stand up for his convictions. Many who had written him off as a political joker have had enough in the past year to make them think differently.

Only a few in Abia –much fewer outside –ever gave Otti a chance in the polls. And so, when the poll result was first announced in favour of the state’s ruling party, the expectation was that the immediate past Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc would beat his chest for trying, and thereafter retire to one boardroom, to fight another day. Very few expected that the 51-year-old former banker would give any fight at all, much more coming that close to prevailing in the end. 

On Wednesday, February 3, 2016 the contest came to a finality with the Supreme court verdict going in favour of Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It is a decision he has since taken in his strides, just like he had remained calm following the 31st December, 2015, judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri which had declared him winner of the April 11 elections in the state. For the man already priming himself for inauguration as governor, it is indeed a hard pill to swallow, but which he must accept if his democratic credentials are anything to reckon with.

In his reaction after the judgment, he said he accepted the ruling of the Supreme Court, although he does not agree with the judgment as he believes that justice was not served in the case. “We believe that justice was not served in the case…it is very important to underscore at this point, that the Supreme Court, which is composed of human beings, is not infallible” he said.

 He observed that the apex court judgments in Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Zamfara and Ebonyi, followed the same pattern which can best be described as a bandwagon effect and called for a cleansing and an overhaul of the Judiciary.
 

He expressed disappointment that the various acts of illegality he hoped to put an end to in Abia state, would continue under the PDP administration. While he thanked Abians for support, he stated emphatically that in the Supreme Court, only delivered judgment, but not justice. According to him, “judgment, not justice was delivered".

To enquiries about his political future, Otti is not decided yet. While still soaking in the loss of the governor’s seat to Okezie Ikpeazu, he has for now elected to wait and see, so as not to distract the Ikpeazu administration: "but I can assure you that I will always be available and interested in improving the lot of my people". 

Born February 18, 1965, Otti has always found a place at the very top during his education and in his career. Losing was never part of his history. While at the University of Port Harcourt, he distinguished himself by graduating not only as the Best Student of the Faculty of Social Sciences but also as the Overall Best Graduating Student for that year.

He began his banking career in 1989 with the Nigerian International Bank, a subsidiary of Citibank New York, where he worked in the operations department. Thereafter he moved to the then Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank Ltd. In 1992, he joined Societe Bancaire Nigeria Limited (Merchant Bankers), a subsidiary of Banque SBA Paris where he rose to the position of a senior manager. He moved on to the United Bank for Africa (UBA) as principal manager overseeing the bank’s corporate banking sector for the entire South Division with the responsibility of growing the oil and gas business for the bank.

In May 2001, he joined First Bank of Nigeria, PLC as assistant general manager and eventually rose to become executive director, commercial banking, then ultimately to Diamond Bank as group managing director/ Chief executive officer where he led the bank through a major transformation. On October 24, 2014 however, Otti voluntary retired from the bank and plunged into politics.

But for his resilience, doggedness and response to a vision beyond him, Dr. Alex Otti would not have come so far in the Abia governorship contest which started first at the polling booths and has now ended at the Supreme Court.

Otti's steely bravado simply manifests the deep yearnings of Abians to vote for a fresh idea and a new direction. Now it is a dream deferred. The next few years will tell how resilient he is as a politician and leader. More importantly, all eyes will focus on how he keys into the promise of helping to rescue Abia from years of rot, even from the sidelines.

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