Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti has warned political office holders and senior public officers to step up their performance or be shown the way out.
Otti issued the warning yesterday while addressing the 2025 second quarter Abia Executive Council Strategy Retreat at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, with the theme; ‘Sustaining the Momentum: Leadership in Execution.’
The governor said his administration would no longer tolerate underperforming officers, adding that the retreat was mandatory for all senior public service officers.
He urged them to embrace continuous learning, collaboration and regular self-assessment to sustain the momentum of reforms and development efforts across the state.
He added that the outcome of the retreat is expected to drive government’s holistic transformation agenda.
“These sessions help us assess progress, measure against key milestones and accelerate delivery within available resources,” Otti said.
The governor, who referenced a biblical principle on unfruitful trees, reiterated his zero-tolerance for mediocrity in leadership.
“I am sure you will recall the biblical instruction about trees that do not bear good fruits,” he said.
He commended his team’s progress, but urged them not to benchmark themselves against past administrations, which he said were marked by mediocrity.
Otti called on participants to maximise mentorship opportunities from members of the Global Economic Advisory Council present at the retreat.
He emphasised that consistent underperformance is as a result of personal choice and not the lack of opportunities for improvement.
Speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Professor Kenneth Kalu described the theme as a recognition of progress and renewed call to action.
Kalu said effective execution remains the real test of leadership credibility.
He expressed the need for discipline and collaboration to translate the vision of the administration into tangible results.
