NEWS
FROM BETTER ROADS TO 2027 BALLOTS: GOV. ALEX OTTI’S 2027 MOMENTUM SOARS AS ASTOPU UMUAHIA ZONE TAKES OVER STREETS IN MASSIVE RE-ELECTION SOLIDARITY RALLY.
…as Union Says “You’ve Wiped Away Abia’s Tears and Your Works Speaks For You“
The Abia State Tricycles Operators Union (ASTOPU), Umuahia Zone, has declared its total support for the re-election of Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, endorsing him as its sole candidate for the 2027 governorship election in recognition of what it described as the remarkable achievements of his administration across critical sectors of the state.
The union also extended its endorsement to all Labour Party candidates contesting the 2027 general elections, including Senator Darlington Nwokocha for Abia Central Senatorial District; Rep. Obi Aguocha for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency; Rt. Hon. Austin Okezie Meregini for Umuahia East State Constituency; Hon. Emeka Tommy Obioma for Umuahia South State Constituency; Hon. Barr. Akaliro Anderson for Umuahia North State Constituency; and Hon. Anthony Chinasa for Umuahia Central State Constituency.
The endorsement was announced on Friday, October 9, 2026, during a massive solidarity rally organised by ASTOPU Umuahia Zone, as hundreds of tricycle operators took to the streets of the state capital to demonstrate their confidence in Governor Otti’s leadership and reaffirm their commitment to the continuation of his administration beyond 2027.
The rally commenced at the Umuahia North Local Government Council headquarters and proceeded through major streets of the capital, including Isi-gate, Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard and Library Avenue Road, before culminating at Government House, Umuahia, where the union members expressed their solidarity with the governor and his development agenda for Abia State.
Addressing the gathering, the Chairman of ASTOPU Umuahia Zone, Comrade Chinweotito Godson Appolos, said the union’s decision to endorse Governor Otti was informed by the visible improvements recorded in road infrastructure, healthcare, education, security and other critical sectors under the present administration.
Appolos explained that tricycle operators, who depend heavily on accessible roads to earn their daily income, had directly experienced the positive impact of the government’s infrastructure renewal programme.
According to him, the construction and rehabilitation of roads across the state had made transportation operations easier, reduced vehicle maintenance costs and improved the working conditions of members of the union.
He recalled that, in previous years, deplorable road conditions frequently forced tricycle operators to spend substantial amounts on mechanical repairs, thereby reducing their earnings and placing additional financial pressure on their families.
The ASTOPU chairman noted that the improvements in road infrastructure had significantly reduced such difficulties, giving operators renewed confidence in the direction of governance in Abia State.
He consequently assured Governor Otti that the union’s thousands of members would mobilise in support of his re-election bid and vote for him and other Labour Party candidates in the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement by ASTOPU Umuahia Zone further underscores the importance of transport operators in grassroots political mobilisation, considering their daily interactions with residents, traders, workers, students and other members of the public across the state capital.
Responding, Governor Otti, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, PhD, expressed appreciation to the tricycle operators for their solidarity and support, noting that their endorsement reflected the importance of connecting government policies and projects with the everyday experiences of the people.
The governor recalled the difficult period when deteriorating road infrastructure provoked public anger and compelled transport operators and other residents to protest and block roads in an attempt to draw the attention of successive administrations to their plight.
“Before now, we used to see people like you protesting and blocking the roads because of the bad roads.
“Within three years, the Alex Otti-led government has wiped out the tears of Ndị Abia,“ he stated.
Governor Otti maintained that the improvements recorded under his administration demonstrated its commitment to addressing long-standing infrastructural challenges and improving the quality of life of residents. He urged the electorate to evaluate political leaders based on their records in office, the tangible results of their policies and their contributions to the welfare of the people.
The governor also called on ASTOPU members and other eligible residents to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the 2027 elections, stressing that participation in the electoral process was essential for citizens who wished to determine the political future of the state.
”Go and pick your PVC as collection of PVCs have started.
“The best way to demonstrate that you are with Alex Otti is to go and pick your PVC,” he stated.
He urged the people not to be deceived by political actors who, despite having enjoyed opportunities to govern in the past, failed to deliver results comparable to the achievements his administration had recorded within its first three years.
Governor Otti challenged residents to remain focused on performance, accountability and the continuation of development projects, emphasising that the future of Abia should be determined by the quality of leadership and the benefits delivered to the people.
Also speaking, the Abia State Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Isaac Ukaegbu, commended ASTOPU Umuahia Zone for organising the rally and openly expressing its support for the governor.
Ukaegbu disclosed that the solidarity rally was not politically imposed or orchestrated by the government, but was a decision independently taken by the union to demonstrate its appreciation for Governor Otti’s leadership and the improvements recorded under his administration.
He described the union’s action as a demonstration of confidence arising from the operators’ experiences and encouraged members to consolidate their support by obtaining their PVCs ahead of the elections.
The commissioner stressed that while public endorsements communicate political preferences, participation in the electoral process through the collection of voter cards remains essential to translating such support into votes.
Contributing, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation, Dr. Obioma Rueben Nwogbe, praised the tricycle operators for their continued confidence in Governor Otti and their commitment to supporting his re-election.
Nwogbe highlighted the strategic importance of tricycle operators to the state’s transportation system and grassroots economy, describing them as a critical link between communities and the wider transport network.
He observed that the tricycle business provides an essential means of movement for residents, particularly those travelling to their neighbourhoods and destinations that may not be easily accessible through larger commercial vehicles.
The governor’s aide further stressed the economic importance of the sector, noting that transport activities contribute to revenue generation, commerce and the movement of people within Umuahia.
He estimated that the number of tricycles operating in Umuahia alone exceeded 50,000 and argued that the sector’s extensive grassroots reach made its members an influential constituency in the state’s political and economic landscape.
Describing tricycle operators as the lifeline of the transportation ecosystem, Nwogbe said their daily contact with residents placed them in a unique position to communicate government policies, promote civic participation and contribute to the development of their communities.
He urged them to remain united and sustain their commitment to the governor’s development agenda as the 2027 elections approach.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mazi Ugochukwu Okoroafor, called on the operators to remain vigilant and support security efforts across their areas of operation.
Okoroafor described tricycle operators as important grassroots stakeholders whose daily movements across communities could help identify suspicious activities and strengthen the state’s security network.
He urged union members to promptly report incidents of theft, criminal activity and other security concerns to the appropriate authorities, stressing that their familiarity with local communities could make them valuable partners in preventing crime.
The special adviser cautioned that tricycles could potentially be exploited by criminals to facilitate movement and urged operators to remain alert to suspicious passengers and activities without taking the law into their own hands.
He also encouraged the union to protect its members’ voting rights and resist any form of intimidation, urging them to participate peacefully and lawfully in the 2027 electoral process.
Okoroafor further reminded residents who had registered for their PVCs or transferred their voter registration to collect their cards, following INEC’s announcement of the commencement of PVC collection from October 9.
The rally brought together political appointees and government officials who joined the tricycle operators in acknowledging the importance of grassroots engagement, public participation and security-conscious transportation operations.
Those present included the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Homeland Security, Fire and Medical Emergency Services, Hon. Chukwunenye Alajemba, and Ezechimerem Ihuoma, a member of the Abia State House of Assembly Service Commission.
The ASTOPU Umuahia Zone rally marks a significant show of political support from a major segment of the state’s informal transportation sector, with the union linking its endorsement of Governor Otti to improvements in road infrastructure, reduced vehicle maintenance challenges and its broader assessment of governance in Abia State.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the union’s declaration signals its intention to mobilise its members in support of Governor Otti and the Labour Party candidates, while the governor’s representatives have challenged eligible residents to complement their public endorsements with voter r
egistration documentation and active participation in the democratic process.