Nollywood actress and African Action Congress governorship candidate in Abia State, Doris Ogala, has declared her intention to become the next governor of the state, describing her political ambition as a “divine mandate.”

Ogala, who previously served briefly as Special Adviser on Creative Arts, Culture and Tourism under former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, said she decided to contest after observing what she described as shortcomings in the administration of Governor Alex Otti.

Speaking during an interview on The Clarity Zone Podcast posted on YouTube on Wednesday night, Ogala said she had spent the past three months in Abia assessing the situation in the state.

She questioned some of the achievements attributed to the Otti administration, particularly in the areas of electricity, the redevelopment of Ariaria International Market and the payment of pension arrears.

“I am telling you this for free, my call to come and save my people is a divine mandate. I will be the next governor of Abia State. Nothing is going to stop me,” she said.

Ogala said her political ambition was rooted in her relationship with residents at the grassroots and her longstanding involvement in community support initiatives.

She claimed to have assisted people in establishing businesses, built homes for some beneficiaries and awarded scholarships to more than 300 people.

The actress also recalled her involvement in the #EndSARS protest in Abia, saying her interest in supporting vulnerable residents and advocating good governance predates her decision to contest for governor.

She recounted an incident involving women whose shops she said had been demolished, claiming she gave each of them N200,000 to assist with relocation.

Unveils five-point agenda

Ogala said her manifesto was built around the letters of her first name, “DORIS,” representing five key areas of her proposed administration.

According to her, D represents Decentralising Development, O stands for Ownership and Opportunity, R represents Reliable Power and Rural Development, I stands for Innovative Education and Industrialisation, while S represents a Strong, Safe and Healthy Abia State.

She said her conviction that Abia deserves better had influenced her decision to seek the governorship.

Ogala also criticised what she described as the treatment of grassroots political actors by successive administrations, alleging that politicians often engage such individuals during elections and abandon them afterwards.

She claimed her appointment under the Ikpeazu administration lasted only about two weeks before the former governor's second-term election.

According to her, she was appointed largely because of her influence among young people and grassroots communities through the Abia State Ojeje Youth Movement, which she described as one of the largest youth groups in the state.

Challenges Otti over electricity

Ogala disputed claims that the Otti administration had provided Abia with 24-hour electricity.

She alleged that the electricity infrastructure being credited to the current administration was initiated under Ikpeazu and subsequently inherited by Otti.

“I want to tell you today that Ikpeazu initiated the electricity you see them claiming credit for. Then the incumbent governor, Alex Otti, came and inherited it,” she said.

She also referred to a recent period of power outage in Aba, arguing that it contradicted claims of uninterrupted electricity supply.

According to her, the administration later acknowledged that electricity distribution in Aba was being managed by the private sector and was no longer under direct government control.

Questions Ariaria Market claims

The AAC candidate also challenged the Otti administration's claims regarding the redevelopment of Ariaria International Market.

She argued that the A-Line section of the market was developed under the Ikpeazu administration and accused the current government of taking credit for the project.

“He did not build Ariaria. The only section developed in Ariaria is the A-Line, which Ikpeazu built,” she claimed.

Ogala further accused the Otti administration of relying heavily on media publicity to promote its achievements, describing the governor as a “social media governor.”

Disputes pension clearance claims

Ogala also questioned the Otti administration's claim that it had cleared pension arrears owed to pensioners in the state.

She alleged that some pensioners had publicly complained about the process and claimed they were made to sign documents waiving certain entitlements.

She said the pensioners subsequently challenged the matter in court, disputing the government's claim that all outstanding pension obligations had been settled.

Despite her criticisms, Ogala acknowledged that Otti had performed better than some previous administrations in certain areas but maintained that she believed her own administration would deliver better governance if elected in 2027.

“I am a much better alternative,” she said, insisting that her government would prioritise transparency, accountability, grassroots development and policies whose impact would be directly felt by residents.