Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has taken a firm stance against the leadership of pensioners in the state, labeling them as “dishonest people” and insisting that his administration will not engage with them on the issue of pension arrears.
During his monthly media chat, Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians, the governor dismissed calls for further negotiations on the matter, accusing the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) leadership of bad faith and political manipulation.
“Once you start from a dishonest point of view, I cannot deal with you. If you like, twist the equation 100 times, I will not deal with them because they are very dishonest. But the pensioners themselves are happy that they were paid,” Otti asserted.
He alleged that the controversy surrounding pension arrears was politically motivated, blaming the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for fueling the dispute. According to him, even the lawyer representing the pensioners is linked to the PDP, a party that allegedly neglected retirees for years.
“I have investigated it and found that it is the PDP. Their lawyer is a PDP lawyer. Why would they hire someone who owed them for years to now attack the person who is paying them?” he questioned.
Governor Otti maintained that his administration has been consistent in paying pensions fully and on time, adding that those unhappy with their payments are free to return the money.
“If somebody is unhappy that he’s being paid his 100% pension every month, he should return the one that he has been paid and continue wearing black,” he stated.
He further declared that he would not engage in any further negotiations with the pensioners’ leadership, insisting that the matter had been settled.
