5 Things to know about Alex Otti

Dr. Alex Otti is the governor of Abia State. The electoral process that brought him into power on May 29, 2023, was a laudable one as there was a wild jubilation by his people when he was announced as the winner of the governorship elections. Let us take a look at some vital information about him before his emergence into power.

Background

Otti is a banker, economist, philanthropist and politician. He was born on February 18, 1965. He is the former Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc. He had previously contested for the governorship position of his state under the All Progressives Congress. However, his switch to the Labour Party won him the elections this year.

Education

He is an alumnus of Ngwa High School, Aba, and Secondary Technical School, Okpuala Ngwa, where he finished as the best student in his set during the school certificate examinations. In 1988, he graduated with a First Class honours in Economics from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

In 1994, he bagged his MBA degree from the University of Lagos. He has attended various international courses including the Executive Development Programmes of the Columbia Business School, Stanford Business School and Wharton Business School,United States.

He was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in 2009 by Babcock University. In addition, the University of Port Harcourt conferred him with a doctorate degree in 2012. He bagged another honorary doctorate degree from the University of Nigeria in 2013.

Career

Otti started his banking career in 1989 with the Nigerian International Bank, a subsidiary of Citibank New York. Thereafter, he proceeded to the then Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank Ltd.

In 1992, he joined Societe Bancaire Nigeria Limited (Merchant Bankers), a subsidiary of Banque SBA Paris where he rose to the position of a senior manager. Afterwards, he moved on to the United Bank for Africa as the principal manager overseeing the bank’s corporate banking sector for the entire South Division.

In May 2001, he joined First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc where he rose to the position of the executive director, south directorate. He moved from FBN to Diamond Bank as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer. He led the bank through a major transformation and took a voluntary retirement on October 24, 2014.

Youth and leadership

In an earlier interview with Sunday Punch, Otti spoke about the youth and leadership. He said, “Anyhow one looks at it, there is something to say about the thinking, energy and courage of the youth. Any society that ignores this kind of group does so at its own peril.

“However, I must add that there is something to also say for relevant experience and maturity. My position is that leadership is not the exclusive preserve of the youth to the exclusion of the advanced (in age). Neither is it for the elderly to the exclusion of the youth. Anyone who has the required qualities should participate.”

Political observations

Furthermore, he spoke about his observations as a politician. He said, “Some politicians make the place so toxic while others use a combination of blackmail and intimidation to scare people away. I have also said in the past that politics is the only vocation where someone dresses up in the morning, and goes out to tell lies. Both of you (hearer and speaker) know he is lying but by the time he is about to leave, you still give him money to reward him for the lies. But, there are good lessons and a few good people in politics. I have been lucky to work with some of the good people.”