Abia, Otti and the Cowardly Oracle of Propaganda Without Identity

By Citizen Bolaji O. Akinyemi

One of the tragedies of Nigerian politics is that serious national conversations are too often hijacked by anonymous propagandists who mistake insult for argument and mud-throwing for civic engagement.

Recently, I received a lengthy diatribe circulating under the mysterious signature of “Oracle.” It was sent to me by someone who had read my reflections on the leadership example emerging from Abia State under Governor Alex Otti.
The sender perhaps expected me to applaud the language of political gutter warfare. Instead, it provoked a deeper concern about the quality of our political discourse.

Let me be clear from the outset: anonymous commentary that hides behind insults is cowardice, not courage.
If the so-called Oracle truly has facts to defend, he should first have the courage to defend them with his name and reputation.

Nations are not built by shadows.

*The Problem with Mud Politics*

Nigeria today stands at a delicate moment in its national journey. Our economic distress is real, insecurity is persistent, and the confidence of citizens in public institutions has eroded dangerously.
At such a moment, the highest service anyone can render the nation is to elevate the conversation around governance.
Unfortunately, what we often get instead are political pamphlets filled with contempt, tribal insinuations, and personal attacks.
The article attributed to the Oracle falls squarely into that unfortunate tradition.
The language is coarse.
The tone is vindictive.
The objective appears less about truth and more about character assassination.

But governance is not a wrestling match in a muddy arena.

*Appreciating Performance Where It Exists*

My interest in writing about Governor Alex Otti has never been about partisan loyalty. I am not a member of his party, nor am I enlisted in any political camp in Abia State.
My interest is simple: Nigeria desperately needs examples of governance that work.
Between 2023 and now, Governor Otti has demonstrated a level of administrative seriousness that has attracted national attention.
Roads long abandoned have seen activity.
Public institutions are being revived.
There is visible effort at fiscal discipline and infrastructural renewal.
Whether every project was initiated by the state or supported by the Federal Government is not the real issue.
The real question is this: are the people benefiting?

If the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu contributed to projects in Abia, that is not a scandal. It is exactly how a federation should work.
But the existence of federal involvement does not erase the responsibility or initiative of a state government that mobilizes execution.

What matters ultimately is delivery.

And in the Nigerian context, delivery is still painfully rare.

*An Indictment of the Political Class

Ironically, the attacks on Otti inadvertently expose a deeper embarrassment.
If indeed a governor has managed to demonstrate visible governance within two years, that fact should provoke introspection among other governors across party lines.
Why should competence appear exceptional in Nigeria?

Why should citizens celebrate basic governance as if it were a miracle?

The truth is uncomfortable: Otti’s example is less a partisan triumph than it is an indictment of many governors who have governed without visible impact since 2023.
This includes governors from the APC and other parties alike.

*A Word for the Deputy Speaker*

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, is a senior national figure. His office carries immense responsibility.
At a time when Nigerians are demanding reforms in our electoral laws, institutional accountability, and democratic strengthening, the country expects leadership from the National Assembly.
The performance of the House will not ultimately be measured by speeches at party congresses.
It will be measured by the laws it passes and the reforms it secures for the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
Many Nigerians are still concerned about how critical electoral reform opportunities were weakened during the last cycle of legislative engagement.
That is the arena where the Deputy Speaker must prove his historic relevance.
Not in partisan quarrels.

*The Courage of Honest Debate*

Let me also say this clearly: fact-checking is not hostility.
In a democracy, citizens have the right to ask questions about project costs, engineering designs, and funding sources.
Those questions should be answered with transparency, not with anger.
But the same principle also applies to critics.
If one intends to challenge a governor’s record, the argument must be grounded in verifiable data—not anonymous outrage.
Truth does not need vulgarity to survive.
Nigeria Needs Builders, Not Noise
Nigeria’s future will not be determined by which political party shouts the loudest or insults the deepest.
It will be determined by those who demonstrate the courage to build institutions, infrastructure, and trust.
Our politics must evolve beyond the primitive habit of destroying anyone who attempts to do things differently.
Governor Alex Otti, like every public official, should remain open to scrutiny.
But scrutiny must never descend into the cowardice of faceless propaganda.

*A Final Word to the Oracle*

To the anonymous “Oracle,” I offer a simple counsel.
If you truly believe in the arguments you make, step into the light.
Attach your name.
Stand by your words.
Nigeria needs citizens willing to defend truth with their reputation—not ghosts hiding behind keyboards.
History is written by those who build nations, not by those who throw mud at them.
And at this critical moment in Nigeria’s journey, the nation needs builders far more than it needs faceless oracles, speaking words in hypocrisy.

M