Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has refuted claims that N54 billion vanished from the state treasury, describing the accusations as unfounded and politically driven.
The allegations were raised by a faction of the All Progressives Congress known as the Abia’s Best Interest Association. The group, led by Eze Chikamnayo, accused Otti of running a non-transparent government and demanded explanations on the large allocation for public school renovations in the 2024 budget, which they said had not reflected in actual projects.
Addressing the matter in a media chat, Otti explained that the figures being circulated were only budgetary provisions and not evidence of actual expenditure. He clarified that only N2.1bn had been released and spent so far on school projects, insisting that the budget was simply an estimate of what could be spent.
“People need to understand that a budget is a plan, not cash in hand,” Otti said, stressing that audited accounts for 2024 were already publicly available and transparent. He added that even those who initially made the N54bn claim had since withdrawn their statement after realizing it was inaccurate.
The governor also outlined measures introduced by his administration to curb financial mismanagement, such as requiring contractors to provide advance payment guarantees before receiving funds. According to him, this ensures government resources remain secure even if a contractor defaults.
Otti accused his critics of spreading falsehoods for political reasons and insisted that his government’s record could be verified through ongoing projects and published financial reports.
