Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant in protecting the freedom secured through the struggles of previous generations.
Otti made the call in his 2026 Independence Day anniversary message on Thursday in Umuahia, saying the gains of the past could only be sustained through collective vigilance.
According to him, citizens must not take their freedoms and democratic achievements for granted, warning that complacency can create opportunities for their erosion.
‘The fruits of yesterday’s struggles can only be sustained by the collective vigilance of our generation and those coming after us,’ Otti said.
He expressed appreciation to citizens of the state for their ‘unshakable faith’ in Nigeria, in spite of its difficult historical experiences and thanked them for their support for his administration.
The governor restated his administration’s commitment to the rapid socio-economic transformation of Abia, saying systems and institutions would be developed to meet the state’s aspirations.
‘Together, we shall build systems and institutions that answer to our development aspirations,’ he said.
Otti said the security and welfare of Abians would remain the administration’s foremost priority, in line with the provisions of the Constitution.
He also pledged the state’s contribution toward actualising the aspirations of Nigeria’s founding fathers and their pursuit of freedom and national sovereignty.
The governor however warned that failure to remain vigilant could expose the country’s cherished freedom to threats.
‘We are therefore invited to take nothing for granted for when we do, we unwittingly open the gates for the enemies of freedom to jump in and steal that which we cherish the most,’ he said.
Otti ???????urged Nigerians to embrace active citizenship, vote responsibly and remain vigilant to protect democracy and sustain the gains of independence.
He noted that Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, religion or nativity, remained stakeholders in the national project and must contribute to changing the country’s trajectory.
‘If then we wish to see a different outcome, the first order of duty would be to accept that we are all stakeholders in the Nigerian project,’ he said.
Otti said nation-building required citizens to use legitimate means, including voting, participating in public discourse, paying taxes and obeying laws.
‘The patriotic thing to do is to boldly confront the situation headlong, using every legitimate tool available to us, refusing any temptation to surrender, until we achieve the outcomes that we seek,’ he said.
The governor urged Nigerians to reject vote-selling, political apathy, dishonesty, mediocrity, greed, nepotism and clannishness, describing them as obstacles to national development.
According to him, democracy has provided Nigerians with the opportunity to determine who governs them, urging citizens to make effective use of their democratic rights.
‘The superior appeal of democracy is the freedom it offers ordinary men and women to have a direct say in who governs them,’ Otti said.
He added that Nigeria’s democratic journey over the past 27 years remained significant, in spite of the challenges experienced since independence.
Otti said the country had potential for greatness, but stressed that potential alone could not transform Nigeria without citizens’ commitment and hard work.
‘The fact is that we have the potential to be a truly great nation, the other truth, which perhaps is our lived experience, is that potential, in themselves, are not enough to turn things around,’ he said.
He commended security personnel, teachers, health workers, civil servants, artisans, traders, entrepreneurs, farmers and other Nigerians, contributing to nation-building.
Otti also praised artists, sportspeople, diplomats, scientists and others promoting Nigeria’s cultural and intellectual heritage locally and internationally.
He urged Nigerians not to surrender to present difficulties, saying perseverance remained essential to overcoming the country’s challenges.
‘The message that I leave you with remains what it has always been; do not give up, keep pushing and never surrender to the vicissitudes of the time,’ he said.
Otti congratulated Nigerians on the 66th independence anniversary and called for renewed commitment to the country’s development and democratic future.