Members of the All Progressives Congress under the Abia’s Best Interest Association have criticised Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, accusing him of lacking transparency in managing the state’s affairs and labelling him a political liability.
The Convener of the APC group, Eze Chikamnayo made these comments on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja.
He called for clarification regarding the N54bn allocated in the budget for state schools.
In response, Otti’s Chief Press Secretary, Njoku Ukoha, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, stated that the governor is effectively delivering democratic benefits to the people of Abia as a committed member of Labour Party.
He also explained that the funds for schools are being used to construct new schools, renovate dilapidated ones, and hire additional teachers.
Speaking to reporters, Chikamnayo stated that Otti is not welcome in the APC due to his administration’s lack of transparency and accountability.
He stated, “In continuation of our Local Government Area tours, the Abian’s Best Interest Association a Pro – Group under the auspices of the All Progressives Congress, Abia State, visited several Local Government Areas in Abia State, where we interacted with stakeholders on developmental issues before embarking on an on-the-spot inspection of public schools in particular.
“In Ugwunagbo, LGA, schools visited included Ihie Community Primary School, Ihie Ukwu Primary School, Asa Umunka Primary School, and Ikem Migrant Farmers School. In Isiala Ngwa South, the team inspected Nneise Primary School – Umuhu/Umuezu Nvosi, Umunkpeyi Primary School – Umunkpeyi Nvosi, and Obuba Primary School – Obuba Nvosi, Ikem Migrant Farmers School.
“From our dispassionate observation, we wish to hereby unequivocally decry the deplorable state of infrastructure in these schools, amongst others, noting that the decay was even more alarming in Isiala Ngwa South.
“We went further to question the much-publicised ₦54 billion which appeared in the Abia State Budget Performance Report for the renovation and retrofitting of public schools for the year 2024 and stressed that a Budget Performance Report, anywhere in the world, details accomplished projects and the actual amounts spent, not mere approved figures.”
Chikamnayo accused Otti’s administration of operating with a lack of transparency, offering explanations only when pressured to do so.
He stated, “This (Abia Government) lacks of transparency and accountability, we believe, is a gross disservice to Abians.
“The Abia Best Interest Association and indeed the APC Abia State, therefore, wishes to draw attention of the pubic to the fact that allocations and various intervention funds coming to Abia State from the Federal Government, have tripled since the inception of the President Tinubu’s Administration.
“We wonder why there was still nothing tangible to show in the education sector in Abia State compared to the situation in Imo and Enugu States, where the government has rebuilt, modernised, and equipped public schools with visible results for all to see.
“We call on Abians to be vigilant, ask questions, and demand full accountability and transparency from the Alex Otti-led administration. The future of our children is at stake, and no government should be allowed to mortgage it under the guise of inflated or questionable expenditure.”
He stated that Governor Otti is not accepted into the APC.
Chikamnayo stated, “Governor Otti wants people to believe that he supports the president, but at the same time we know that in Abia state he is undermining President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“As we speak over N300bn has come from Tinubu reforms into Abia State government and all the local governments are grounded, castrated and completely insolvent.
“We will not receive such a liability into APC. That is what we are saying. Nobody in APC Abia State wants anything called Alex Otti. He is a liability.”
In response, Otti’s Chief Press Secretary dismissed the claims made by the APC’s Abia’s Best Interest Association as false.
He stated, “They are just spreading falsehood. The Otti-led administration is very transparent to the Abia people. But straight to the point, we have uploaded almost 100 pictures of ongoing reconstruction, renovation, and retrofitting of public schools around the state.
“During the PDP’s administration in the state not only were the schools not functional, they were sold. We practically no longer had public schools around here. So when His Excellency, Otti came in, he declared a state of emergency in the education sector because public schools were completely non-existent. What we only had here were private schools.
“His Excellency declared a state of emergency in education in quarter four of 2024. Two hundred and twenty-one public schools were earmarked for renovation, reconstruction, and retrofitting. Another 57 were earmarked for repairs because some were completely non-existent just empty spaces that had been sold, with no buildings there.These are completely new structures coming up.
“If they say they came to our state and didn’t see a school, of course they won’t, because they were looking in the wrong place — on billboards. The ones being done now are physically on the ground. When you go to those locations, you see the schools being rebuilt.”
Ukoha, who clarified that Otti and President Tinubu have a strong working relationship, emphasised that the Abia state governor remains dedicated to the LP and has no intention of joining the APC.
He stated, “His Excellency is in the Labour Party. Nobody is interested in APC here. Those making noise are a diminishing few; every day more of their members are joining us in LP because they see the governor is working.
“Nobody is talking about liability here this is a man cleaning up the mess they left behind. Those making these allegations are political harlots moving from place to place looking for what to eat.
“The organic love His Excellency enjoys in this state is undeniable. 98 per cent of our people are happy here. The only ones unhappy are those who ruled for 24 years and left Abians in ruins.”
