Aba Tricycle operators endorse Gov. Otti for second term, hold city-wide rally

Members of the Abia State Tricycles Operators Union (ASTOPU), Aba Zone, have declared their support for the re-election of Governor Alex Otti in 2027, staging a solidarity march through major roads and streets in Aba to express appreciation for the administration’s policies and infrastructural development.

The solidarity march, which commenced at the popular Osisioma Junction, attracted a large number of tricycle operators who rode through several roads and streets in the commercial city before converging at Aba town for the inauguration of Victor Azubuike as chairman of ASTOPU, Aba Zone.

Speaking during the event, on Thursday October 29, 2026, at Aba, the Chairman of ASTOPU, Aba Zone, Comrade Victor Azubuike said the march was organised to appreciate the Governor for his achievements, particularly in road infrastructure and policies that have improved the operating environment for tricycle riders.

“We want to show solidarity match, a roadshow for His Excellency, for the good things he has been doing for us, the roads and the other benefits he has been giving us.

“So today we decided to acknowledge him, to show our support, to show our solidarity to him. We love his policies, he’s the one giving us a free space to move, to ride here in town in Aba Zone.

“We, the operators, the KeKe riders are the most beneficiaries of all these roads. The other day we went out, to flag of the construction of the Uratta and Old Express road, all those things are our benefit. You can see everybody is happy,” he stated.

The ASTOPU Chairman said the union had begun mobilising its members ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that voter registration and possession of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were essential to participating in the electoral process.

“We are fully prepared for the 2027 election. Right from voters registration, we mobilised our people to register and have their PVC because that is the number one strength of election.

“So from day one we are prepared for the re-election of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti.

“We have eighty something polling units here in Aba and we want to inculcate them (tricycle operators) into the Labour Party structure, so that everybody will be fully involved in this re-election”, Azubuike stated.

He explained that ASTOPU, Aba Zone, was inaugurating members of the Labour Party structure at the ward and polling-unit levels to ensure that its members were fully involved in efforts towards the Governor’s re-election.

Reacting to the solidarity march, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport, Associate Professor Obioma Nwogbe, described the demonstration as a welcome development, noting that the union’s support reflected its satisfaction with the government’s interventions in the transport sector.

Associate Professor Nwogbe said the state government was gladdened to see the kind of support it receives from ASTOPU, noting that, ASTOPU had supported voter registration exercises across Aba Zone, which he said comprises about nine local government areas.

“It is a very good support. In fact, during the time of voter registration, the chairman of ASTOPU and his executive committee supported the voter registration in the whole Aba zone. We have about nine local governments in Aba Zone.

“They supported by supporting the electoral commission members that were coming for the registration.

“So the government is so much happy and you know the Ministry of Transport, ably led by Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu and myself, the SSA, the government, always have a constant meeting with them regarding their good thoughts,” Dr. Nwogbe stated

He further explaned that, that is why Dr Alex Otti deemed it feat to make sure that he works towards developing all the transport infrastructure, more especially the road, to make it easy for transport operators, particularly, the tricycle operators.

“So without them (tricycle operators) people cannot get to their final destination. So the government of Dr. Alex Otti is very happy with the good work of the tricycle union”

The SSA further noted that the political mobilisation ahead of 2027 extended beyond the governorship election to other elective positions, including the Senate seat for Abia Central Senatorial District, Abia South and the State Constituencies.

The ASTOPU leadership later inaugurated tricycle operators into the Labour Party structure across polling units in Aba, as the union reiterated its commitment to mobilising its members ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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