By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Abia State chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP has expressed regret that Governor Alex Otti, instead of using the opportunity provided by his public lecture at John Hopkins University the United States of America USA, to show case to the global community the huge economic potentials of Abia state as a destination choice for investors, rather chose the platform to demarket the state.
The PDP’s position is coming on the heels of the revelation made by Governor Otti,during the lecture presentation that the immediate past administration of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu between 2015 and 2023 paid out a whopping sum of N107 billion to some nebulous contractors,for equally phantom projects.
Governor Otti,who on Friday April 19 was a guest Speaker at the famous USA university ,noted that about #10 billion was paid for a non existent Abia Airport project, while about 72 contractors were paid close to # 97 billion for various jobs not executed.
In a viral video which debuted on Saturday April 20 ,Governor Otti, stated that the shocking discovery about the fleecing of Abia state by the immediate past PDP led administration in the state was unearthed by forensic auditors contracted by his regime to look into the financial books of the state immediately he came on board in May 2023.
But the PDP in a statement issued on Monday April 22 ,by its Publicity Scribe Abraham Amah and made available to the press ,noted that much as it is not against Governor Otti setting up an audit panel to examine the financial records of Abia state it is however worried that the same administration that set up a judicial panel of inquiry on the recovery of public funds and properties is now through its present media outburst trying to preempt the work of the panel.
“The said panel is still at work ,and has at various times invited officials of the previous administration and asked questions which answers were provided.
If the Governor has received the report of the forensic auditors ,conventional wisdom dictates that he should have quietly handed it over to the panel of inquiry in order not to preempt its judicial work and allow it to further ask questions and incorporate it in its own final report.
By going to the global stage to make revelations about alleged acts of corruption looks to us as a media trial and attempt to embarrass individuals who are yet to be proven guilty by the law.
We had expected that Governor Otti,would have taken advantage of the occasion to showcase the investment opportunities in Abia state and emphasise on points like improvements on ease of doing business ,availability of raw materials,and infrastructures, strong corporate governance structure, tax holidays, power supply and other factors that would entice foreign investors to come and invest in Abia state” the PDP statement noted.
According to the PDP Spokesperson, Governor Otti,apart from demarketing the state ,put out variable tissues of half truths regarding the payments of 10 years pension arrears during the public lecture in the USA.
“That is a lie from the pit of hell with the intent to defraud Abians as pensioners have also confirmed that only nine (9) months of a certain percentage of their monthly pensions were paid.
To avail a proof of intent to steal Abia funds ,a simple calculation would show that 10 years amount to 120 months salary arrears deemed to have been cleared .
If you deduct 9 months from the purported 120 months ,the balance of 111 months pensions as would be reported in Abia financial records is unaccounted for .
If that is not an intent to defraud ,then we wonder what it is,” Amah noted
However ,the PDP said it is not all together surprised at the stand of the present administration,insisting that since mounting the saddle ,Governor Otti,has not hidden his disdain for the party and officials of the immediate past administration.
“Unfortunately, while he thinks that he is attacking PDP ,he is invariably making his own job difficult, by demarketing Abia State ” the PDP stated.
