Abia State Governor, Alex Otti. Photo: File
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced plans to inaugurate 10 additional courthouses and flag off the construction of ultra-modern court complexes in Aba and Umuahia.
Otti made the announcement on Tuesday during a thanksgiving service to mark the commencement of the 2026/2027 legal year of the Abia State Judiciary at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Chapel, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing judicial officers with a conducive working environment, disclosing that each of the proposed court complexes would feature an auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,000 people.
He said five of the 10 courthouses would be inaugurated before the end of the year, while the remaining five would be commissioned early next year.
He said, “For us, like I also said, the days when you operate from a decent environment, that is very important to this government.
“And that is why we took the principled decision to change your environment. By the time you finish the programme for this year, the legal year, and return, we should be commissioning an additional 10 new courthouses that we have built.
“So five of them will be commissioned this year, and then the remaining ones will be commissioned early next year.”
The governor attributed the delay in completing the Ukwa East courthouse to the contractor’s poor performance, disclosing that the state government had decided to terminate the contract and re-award it.
Otti also said his administration would sustain the digitalisation of government processes across the executive, legislature and judiciary to improve efficiency and make public services more accessible to residents.
He described the judiciary as a critical arm of government and pledged continued support for the effective administration of justice while respecting its constitutional independence.
The governor stressed that cooperation among the three arms of government must not undermine their respective constitutional responsibilities, adding that his administration would maintain clear boundaries in its dealings with the judiciary and legislature.
“The judiciary is a very important part of government. And there is no way the executive or the legislature can work without the judiciary. But then the lines are also very clear.
“And one thing you can be sure of with us is that we will always maintain those lines,” Otti said.
He commended the judiciary for its cooperation with his administration, particularly in upholding due process, noting that both shared a commitment to ensuring that government business was conducted properly.
“This government is a stickler for due process, and we can say that we have got maximum support from you, because you’re also a stickler for due process,” he said.
Otti congratulated the Abia State Judiciary on the commencement of the 2026/2027 legal year and expressed optimism that it would be successful.
The thanksgiving service, conducted by the Anglican Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Geoffrey Ibabuchi, was attended by members of the state executive council, the Chief Judge and judges of the Abia State Judiciary, chief registrars, magistrates, chairmen of customary courts and other judicial staff.