GOV OTTI CONGRATULATES 81 NEW ALEX OTTI FOUNDATION SCHOLARS, ANNOUNCES ₦500,000 SUPPORT FOR EACH FIRST-CLASS SCHOLAR

By Ezechukwu Adimoha

The Governor, Dr Alex Otti has congratulated the 81 new Scholars of the 7th Cohort of the Alex Otti Foundation for scaling through the rigorous selection processes out of over 5000 applicants for the 2026 edition of the Scholarship scheme.

Governor Otti who was speaking at the 2026 Scholarship Banquet of the 7th Cohort of the Scheme held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium Umuahia, noted that the Scholarship is purely on merit and strictly for intelligent students who truly need the scholarship.

The Governor explained that the scheme has been structured to ensure that only those who need the scheme are the beneficiaries and reminded them that the society expects more from them and announced a financial support of five hundred thousand naira to each of the first class scholars.

The State Chief Executive while noting that the Alex Otti foundation has been on since 2009, challenging the new intakes to study hard as he expects nothing less than 50 1st Class among the 2026 cohort of the scheme and congratulated them for making themselves, their families and the society proud.

Governor Otti while revealing that one of its scholars who graduated with first-class honors in Marine Engineering is now a Ph.D candidate in far away USA.

While throwing light on his political journey to government House, from 2014, the Governor said God decided to bring him to power at the right time to rebuild the state from her many years of decay.

In his remarks, The Deputy Speaker Abia House of Assembly Chief Augustine Okezie, appreciated Governor Otti for having sustained the Scholarship right from when he had not assumed the Governorship position, and challenged the beneficiaries to justify the Governor’s support by excelling in their various chosen discipline.

Deputy Speaker Abia House of Assembly Chief Augustine Okezie,

In an address, the Executive Secretary Alex Otti Foundation Mr Chidi Nnanna while describing the 2026 Scholars Banquet as exceptional, noted that the Foundation was able to pick 81 of the beneficiaries out of over 5000 applicants through stringent selection process, noting that a total of 302 scholars have so far benefitted from the foundation.

Executive Secretary Alex Otti Foundation Mr Chidi Nnanna

Speaking on behalf of other scholars, Makuochukwu,Emerald Arungwa and Anointing Iroka while describing the gesture as a dream come true, thanked the Governor for investing in their future through the Alex Otti Foundation and promised to make the Governor,their parents, and larger society proud.

The deputy Governor Chief Ikechukwu Emetu, the Speaker Abia House of Assembly Chief Emmanuel Emeruwa, other members of the state House of Assembly, the Founder Onubiko Foundation Chief James Umeh and host of other personalities graced the event.