Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Friday, March 28, 2026, announced automatic lecturing appointments for all first-class graduates of Abia State University, Uturu, as graduate assistants. The announcement was made during the university’s combined 30th to 32nd convocation ceremony.
Governor Otti also approved postgraduate scholarships up to the doctoral level for all first-class graduates from the affected sets.
“I am glad to announce that approval has been given to the university management to immediately commence the process of retaining all first-class graduates as graduate assistants, subject to the completion of their National Youth Service,” he said.
He added that this privilege would also extend to the best graduating students across departments, provided their cumulative grade point average is at least 4.25. “Additionally, all first-class graduates across the three convocations shall be awarded postgraduate scholarships to any public university of their choice within the country, up to doctorate level, subject to the acceptance of the teaching offer,” Otti stated.
The governor further directed the state Head of Service to identify gaps in the civil service that could accommodate 100 exceptional graduates from the three sets, prioritizing those in Education, Computer Science, Statistics, Health and Medical Sciences, and other critical fields, subject to the completion of the National Youth Service Corps program.
Otti also disclosed that N200 million had been earmarked to support up to 100 graduates with innovative business ideas, particularly in agriculture, ICT, and clean energy, with proposals to be submitted electronically by April 30, 2026.
During the ceremony, the governor congratulated the graduands and presented a personal cash gift of N5 million to the overall best graduating student, Oluchi Etumsi. He also commended honorary award recipients, including Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Allen Onyema, and Stella Okoli, urging them to uphold the values associated with their recognition.
Governor Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to repositioning the university, emphasizing that investment in education is critical to societal development. He also flagged off the reconstruction of the Abia State University International Secondary School.
In her remarks, the Chancellor, Catherine Uju-Ifejika, praised the governor’s support, noting that his commitment to education demonstrates an understanding of its role in shaping future leaders. The Pro-Chancellor, Agwu U. Agwu, described the graduands’ achievements as a testament to perseverance and excellence, while highlighting the governor’s interventions in positioning the university globally.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ndukwe Okeudo, lauded Governor Otti for improving staff welfare, including clearing salary backlogs and ensuring timely salary payments. He also listed ongoing projects at the university, including a new Faculty of Law, 5,000-capacity male and female hostels, road construction, solar-powered streetlights, and new engineering equipment.
The convocation was attended by vice-chancellors of other universities, academics, and senior government officials.
