It was a boisterous and electric atmosphere in Abia State earlier today as the people trooped out in their numbers to welcome the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Chioma Otti as he flagged-off the construction of 25km of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road.
The Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, Senator Austin Akobundu, was also on ground to support the governor at the event. The road, though a federal one, is in the senatorial district of Senator Akobundu.
Recall that the federal government had earlier given the Abia State government the nod to construct 25km of it.
At the flag-off, Akobundu commended Otti for taking the initiative “to ensure that the road is fixed without excuses.”
While narrating his efforts on bringing the attention of the federal government to the road through a motion he raised in the senate on December 11, 2024, Akobundu extolled the FG for granting the needed permission to the Alex-Otti administration in the state to fix the road.
Senator Akobundu’s full speech is reproduced below:
ADDRESS DELIVERED BY SENATOR AUSTIN AKOBUNDU (ABIA CENTRAL) AT THE FLAG-OFF OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF 25 KILOMETRES OF THE UMUAHIA-IKOT EKPENE ROAD BY GOVERNOR ALEX OTTI, OFR, ON FRIDAY, 24TH OCTOBER 2025
Your Excellency,
The Executive Governor of Abia State
Dr Alex Chioma Otti
(Let me stand on already established protocol)
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I am highly elated to witness this momentous occasion of the official flag-off of 25km of this Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Federal Road by our amiable governor, Dr Alex Chioma Otti. My joy comes from the fact that this road, which is of utmost strategic importance to our people, and has remained dilapidated in spite of several efforts by successive stakeholders at various levels to have it fixed, is today finally receiving attention and action from our governor.
I recall that on the 11th of December, 2024, I raised a motion on the floor of the senate on the “Need for Special Intervention by the Senate to urge the Federal Ministry of Works to expedite action and complete the rehabilitation of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Federal Road to relieve the suffering of Nigerian motorists and address insecurity in the area.” In that motion, I acknowledged that “the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, a major link between Abia State and Akwa Ibom State through Ikwuano LGA, has been in a deplorable state of disrepair for over 30 years, and that despite efforts by successive governments at both federal and state levels to provide remedial interventions, the road has remained in poor condition for reasons that appear inexplicable.”
I further expressed worry that “Many dilapidated sections of the road have further deteriorated due to the rainy season, rendering them impassable and creating significant hardship for motorists and traders commuting between Abia and Akwa Ibom States.”
Today, the story is about to change. And that is because, Governor Alex Otti has decided to set aside every form of bottlenecks, including the federal/state dichotomy, disagreements between federal agencies and contractors among others, and taken the bull by the horn to ensure that the road is fixed by the state without excuses. We must, therefore, put aside every political, or such other narrow differences, commend the governor for this novel initiative and rally round him to fix this age-long challenge once and for all.
Let me make it abundantly clear that this is not about politics. It is about governance, and governance is about the people.
We must also commend the federal government for graciously granting permission for the construction to be done by the state government. This is another clear indication that when the desire for the delivery of dividends of democracy transcends political affiliations and considerations, we can move mountains together for our people.
On my part, I shall continue to do my best in the Natuonal Assembly to bring attention and action of necessary government agencies to the plight of our people through effective legislative instruments.
Together, we will make Abia great!
My Dear Governor, be assured of my support in this project.
Thank you.
Senator Austin Akobundu
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