Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has dismissed threats by three former governors to take him to court over his decision to run state affairs from his private residence in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area. Speaking during his monthly media chat on Thursday, Otti said there is nothing in the Nigerian Constitution that stops a governor from operating from any location while carrying out official duties.

The governor explained that he chose to work from his residence because of the poor state of the Government House in Umuahia when he assumed office. According to him, the official residence was badly dilapidated and required urgent reconstruction, which is currently ongoing. He stressed that his decision was guided by responsibility and the need to fix public facilities properly.

Otti maintained that Abia residents are more concerned about the quality of governance and development projects than the physical location of the governor’s office. He added that he is ready to face any legal challenge on the matter, noting that his lawyers are fully prepared. The governor described the criticism from his predecessors as unnecessary distractions.

Reassuring the people, Otti said his administration would remain focused on delivering results in key sectors such as road construction, education, healthcare and electricity. He also urged residents to stay security conscious by reporting suspicious activities to security agencies, assuring them that governance in Abia State would not be slowed by political “noise.”