Abia State Governor Alex Otti has dismissed allegations by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Eze Chikamnayo, who petitioned anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, accusing the governor of mismanaging over N54bn meant for education projects.
Chikamnayo, who is also the convener of the Abians Best Interest Association, said at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday that Otti must provide evidence of the 51 “smart schools” allegedly funded with the monies withdrawn from the state treasury between 2023 and 2025.
He alleged, “From June 2023 to December 2023, Governor Otti purportedly spent N6bn in public schools. From January 2024 to December 2024, N58bn was also reported by Governor Otti as monies purportedly spent on repairs of public schools.
“From January 2025 to June 2025, another N14bn was again reported by Mr Alex Otti as monies spent yet on this same public school. Also note that the sum of N8bn has been provided from the UBEC Abuja in 2025 for repairs of public schools (after provision of N4bn counterpart fund by the state).”
According to him, despite the reported allocations, “over 95 per cent” of schools in the state remain dilapidated. He accused the Otti administration of “systemic corruption, impunity, lack of transparency and accountability,” adding that his group had petitioned the EFCC, ICPC, the National Assembly, the World Bank, Transparency International and other international watchdogs for urgent intervention.
But reacting in an interview with The PUNCH, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Njoku Ukoha, said the allegations were politically motivated and unfounded.
“They are merely spreading falsehood. The Otti-led administration has been very transparent with the people of Abia. The schools are visible to everyone. Under the leadership of His Excellency, Alex Otti, the Abia State Government is building new schools, while also renovating and equipping existing ones. Therefore, anything these individuals say or do should not be taken seriously,” he said.
Ukoha added that the governor remained focused on his agenda to transform education in the state and would not be distracted by opposition figures.
Chikamnayo, however, insisted that his group’s campaign was not partisan but aimed at safeguarding the future of Abia children. “It is in the interest of Abia State, Abia children and generations yet unborn. We have dragged the state government under Alex Otti-led administration to all relevant anti-corruption agencies, locally and internationally,” he maintained.
However, the APC chieftain expressed concern that despite the massive allocations and disbursements, not a single new smart school project had been established.
“This UBEC N8bn is currently being deployed. From the foregoing, therefore, in Abia State under Governor Alex Otti, a whopping sum of N86bn has been purportedly deployed for repairs of public schools in just about two years, with N78bn completely paid out from the records available in the Abia State budget performance report,” he added.
He noted that fact-finding visits to several public schools in Abia State revealed that over 95 per cent remained in deplorable condition, with dilapidated buildings, unfenced premises, and a lack of teaching and learning facilities.
Chikamnayo continued, “The failure and or refusal to publish the list, location, contractors and pictures of the purported 51 public school projects for which over N54bn has been spent between the first and fourth quarter of 2024 is also indicative of systemic corruption, impunity, lack of transparency and accountability in governance.
“We engage the Abia State Government through our association in ensuring that the alleged diversion of the over N54bn education funds by the Abia State Government is halted in collaboration with Nigerian anti-corruption bodies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Finance, World Bank, Transparency International and other relevant institutions.
Already, we have written an official letter to the above bodies and other international organisations that specialise in basic education, demanding urgent intervention to rescue the state from any attempt by Mr Alex Otti to use education as a conduit pipe for misappropriation of public funds,” he asserted.
He explained that their actions were motivated by the belief that corruption in the education sector deprived future generations of dignity, opportunities, and their fundamental rights.
The APC chieftain continued, “It is in the interest of Abia State, Abia children and generations yet unborn, we have dragged the state government, under Alex Otti-led administration, to all relevant anti-corruption agencies, locally and internationally.
“We have also written to the National Assembly, UNESCO, World Bank, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Education, and indeed watchdogs like Transparency International, Amnesty International and others for urgent intervention and sanctions where necessary.”
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