By Sandra Kenneth
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has recounted how divine intervention spared his life during a deadly July 2015 attack on his Abuja residence, attributing his survival and political journey to his unwavering faith in God.
Speaking on Thursday night at the “Abia Solemn Assembly and Covenant Renewal Service” in Umuahia, themed “Remembering the Covenant,” Governor Otti reflected on the life-threatening political hurdles he faced following the controversial 2015 governorship election, which he was challenging at the tribunal against Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Recounting the night of the attack, Otti explained that he had been in Abuja for scheduled meetings that were repeatedly postponed. Despite strong objections from his friends, he felt an undeniable urge to leave the federal capital for Owerri to prepare for a tribunal sitting.
“All my friends objected, but I said I had received a message that I must leave Abuja,” Otti recalled. “That same night, armed assassins—about 12 of them—attacked my residence in Maitama, shot two police officers dead, and searched the entire compound looking for me. Of course, God had already taken me away.”
He added that after failing to find him, the gunmen raided an adjoining building, convinced he had escaped into the neighboring property. “There was no logical reason for me to leave Abuja at that precise moment, but God delivered me,” he said.
The governor also revealed that during his early entry into politics, several associates and church leaders urged him to seek supernatural protection through native doctors and secret societies. However, he firmly rejected those suggestions, drawing strength from the biblical passage in Joshua 24:15 (“As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord”).
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Uzor Nwachukwu, noted that the state government organized the assembly to give thanks for the administration’s progress and rededicate Abia State to God.
Delivering the homily, Dr. Sam Oye, Lead Pastor of Transforming Church International, commended the Otti administration for its achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and fiscal reforms, while urging the leadership to build sustainable institutions to drive long-term development across all 17 Local Government Areas.
