•Late General Ironsi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State
Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has directed the rehabilitation of Ibeama Primary School, Ndume Ibeku, the alma mater of Nigeria’s first military Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the late Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi.
The governor gave the directive at the weekend during a thanksgiving service and civic reception organised in honour of the Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and member representing Umuahia East State Constituency, Hon. Augustine Okezie, at the school’s premises in Ndume Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area, reports The Guardian.
Responding to an appeal by community leaders, Otti directed the Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Lady Lydia Onuoha, to visit the school today, assess its condition and include it in the state’s ongoing programme for the comprehensive rehabilitation of public primary schools.
Community leaders had informed the governor that the late Aguiyi-Ironsi, whose ancestral home is located near the school, received his primary education at the institution. They appealed for the rehabilitation of the Umuanna-Ndume Ibeku Road, which links the school and the late general’s residence, located less than four kilometres off the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway.
In response, Otti also directed the Commissioner for Works to commence the necessary processes for the rehabilitation of the road.
The governor commended the Ndume Ibeku community for honouring one of its sons and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to delivering people-oriented development projects across the state.
Otti also acknowledged the support of the community for his administration.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Augustine Okezie, praised the governor’s performance, saying his administration had transformed governance through strategic investments across critical sectors.
“Governor Otti has redefined governance through signature projects in virtually every sector of the state’s economy. That is why members of the opposition are now openly aligning with the Labour Party,” he said.
Earlier, the President-General of the Ndume Otuka Development Union, Chief John Onyeiro, speaking on behalf of the community’s Elders Council, described Otti as a leader who keeps his promises, citing the ongoing reconstruction of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road as one example.
The event also featured the defection of more than 100 members from various political parties to the ruling Labour Party in the state.
