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Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has assured veterans and serving members of the armed forces that his administration will not take their sacrifices for granted.
Otti gave the assurance during the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Church service, held at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Aguiyi Ironsi Layout, Umuahia.
He pledged his administration’s unwavering commitment to honouring their sacrifices and their vital role in safeguarding the nation.
The governor paid glowing tribute to the veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces, acknowledging their sacrifices, bravery and dedication in their service to the nation.
He also recalled the tragic cases of armed forces personnel who were brutally murdered in the state while performing their duties and vowed that the state government would honour their memory and ensure their sacrifices were not taken for granted.
He said, “We want to thank those who ensure we sleep with our eyes closed, we cannot take your sacrifices for granted.
“There is nothing we can do that will be too much for these heroes of our time.”
The governor used the opportunity to thank Abians for their support for his administration and pledged that his government would continue to deliver democracy dividends to the people.
He noted that irrespective of negative propaganda from the opposition, his administration remains focused on the mandate given to him by the people.
Governor Otti also used the opportunity to charge the people of the state to remain vigilant and disregard those he described as pretending to be fighting for democracy.
He enthused, “I want to charge all of us, that this is the time for us to remain vigilant because if you say that the Egyptians you see today, you won’t see them anymore as the Bible says, it doesn’t mean you should go to sleep, otherwise the Egyptians will like to come back.
“So you have to permanently sack them and it is not for me to do, it is for you to do. Power belongs to the people though power belongs to God. God won’t come down from heaven, He will use you as he has always used you.
“So, all the people who are pretending to be fighting for democracy today when they have been asleep in the last 24 to 25 years, I think we need to keep them permanently asleep.”
Earlier in a sermon titled ‘The Captain of the Host of Heaven,’ the President of Abia North Central Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Pastor Kennedy Iheoma, paid tribute to the fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the nation’s peace and unity.
Pastor Iheoma, who took his text from Joshua 5:13-15, reflected on the encounter between Joshua, the Israelites and the people of Jericho and emphasized that faith and trust in God is the ultimate.
He called on members of the Armed Forces to trust and acknowledge God’s supreme authority to overcome every challenge in life, pointing out that God cannot share His Glory with anyone.
The 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Church Service was attended by the wife of the governor, Her Excellency, Mrs. Priscilia Otti, among other dignitaries and prayers were featured for members of the Armed Forces, members of the State Executive Council, among others.
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