Gov Otti defends appointing Benjamin Kalu’s wife as hospital board chairman
Governor Defends Appointment of New Teaching Hospital Board Chair
Governor Alex Otti has publicly defended his recent appointment of Dr. Ezinne Chinyere Benjamin-Kalu as the Chair of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital Board in Aba.
Dr. Benjamin-Kalu is the spouse of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who has previously expressed opposition to Governor Otti. The governor addressed concerns raised about the appointment during a wedding event for his Aide-de-Camp, ASP Emeka Ogbonna, on Saturday.
Otti emphasized that the decision was based solely on merit and Dr. Benjamin-Kalu’s qualifications, not political affiliations or motivations. He criticized the backlash, labeling the negative commentary as “noise” and stated that he was indifferent to the political party affiliation of those he appoints.
“In making this appointment, we conducted interviews with seven candidates, and Dr. Benjamin-Kalu emerged as the most qualified,” Otti remarked. He added, “We are not concerned whether she is affiliated with APC, PDP, or YPP. What matters to us is her expertise.”
The governor continued to underscore his commitment to prioritizing competence over political considerations in state appointments, maintaining that an individual’s origin is irrelevant to their qualifications for the role.
