Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has explained that his decision to appoint Mrs. Ezinne Chinyere Benjamin Kalu—wife of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Benjamin Kalu—as chairman of the board of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, was strictly based on merit.
He made this known while speaking at the wedding ceremony of his Aide-de-Camp, ASP Emeka Ogbonna, in Umuahia. The governor emphasized that his selections for public service roles are driven by competence.
According to him, his criteria for choosing individuals to serve the state focus on their capabilities and contributions, rather than their origin or political ties.
He stated:
“Recently, we made an appointment for the chairman of Abia State University Teaching Hospital Board. And somehow, I think I heard some noise left, right, and center.
“I’m sure the people don’t know that I personally interviewed and had chats with seven people for that role. And the lady we chose not only came first, but the gap between her and the second-place finisher was so wide.
“And this happened last year. So, we were waiting for an opportunity to reconstitute the board, given that the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Teaching Hospital was leaving. So, having now reconstituted the board, we believe that it was only proper for us to give the job to the person who came first.
“And, that’s what we did. We don’t care whether she’s APC or PDP or YPP or whatever. Those are not important. We don’t even care whether she’s from Abia or from Delta or from anywhere. We are interested in what is in her brain. We are interested in the contacts that she has. And one of the things that stood her out from the other six was the international contacts she has.
“So, in Abia here, we are open to anybody. Just come with what is inside your brain. We don’t want to know where you come from. We don’t want to know your political affiliation. When the time comes for voting, you can go and vote for whoever you want to vote. But here, we want results. We want performance.”
He reiterated that all appointments under his administration are grounded in meritocracy, noting that this standard applies to roles ranging from Permanent Secretaries to the hiring of 5,394 teachers, as well as the ongoing recruitment of an additional 4,000 teachers.
The governor further clarified that an individual’s place of origin is not a factor in his decisions, stressing that what matters is their competence and ability to perform effectively.
He added, “My approach to appointments ensures that the right people are entrusted with responsibilities that impact governance and service delivery.”
