The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has compared the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to a prodigal son, suggesting that his time in the Labour Party might eventually lead him back to his original political roots.
Governor Otti, who was previously a member of the All Progressives Congress in 2020 after leaving the All Progressives Grand Alliance, joined the Labour Party, where he successfully contested and won the governorship election in 2023.
Keyamo made these remarks during his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Abia International Airport, where he acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s support and admiration for Governor Otti.
“The President’s motivation was also the fact that he loves the governor of this state, he loves his spirit. I know the comments he has made about the governor of this state and how much people here love him so much.
“Today is not the day for politics, he strayed away, he was with us, he strayed away like the prodigal son,” he said.
The minister further elaborated on how plans for the airport evolved from an airstrip project to an international airport, crediting Governor Otti’s proactive approach.
“When I called Dr Alex Otti and I broke the news to him, he said no, I will partner with you, I will also put in counterpart funding, let us upgrade it to an international airport. This was what happened. As minister of aviation, I’m just telling you the trajectory.”
The event marked a significant milestone for Abia State, with the collaborative efforts between the federal government and the state administration set to deliver a transformative infrastructure project.
