Put Your Temperament To Check, Abia PDP Slams Gov Otti Over Verbal Attack On Journalist, Seeks Public Apology

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Abia State chapter, has criticized Alex Otti over comments allegedly directed at a journalist who questioned the measurable impact of his administration’s policies on residents of the state.

In a statement signed by its State Chairman, Elder Abraham Amah, the opposition party expressed profound concern over what it described as the public insult of a journalist for asking what it termed a legitimate and professional question regarding governance data and outcomes, urging the Governor to put his temperament to check.

The PDP maintained that there was nothing improper about requesting empirical evidence on how government policies have affected employment, healthcare delivery, education, infrastructure, poverty reduction and overall living standards in Abia State. According to the party, such inquiries are central to responsible journalism and democratic accountability.

“In a constitutional democracy, public office holders are accountable to the people, and governance is assessed not by rhetoric or self-appraisal but by verifiable data,” the statement read. “When legitimate questions are met with personal attacks rather than facts, it diminishes public discourse and projects intolerance for accountability”.

The party further described the media as a constitutionally recognized institution whose duty is to ask questions on behalf of the public. It argued that any attack on a journalist performing that role amounts to an affront to the media organization involved and the people of Abia State.

Calling for restraint, the PDP urged Governor Otti to put his temperament in check and rise to the responsibilities of his office. The party also called on the governor to issue a public apology to the journalist, the media organization concerned, and the people of Abia State.

The statement added that such a move would reaffirm respect for press freedom, strengthen democratic norms, and restore confidence in governance, while encouraging the administration to respond to public inquiries with verifiable data and transparency.