…Questions Otti’s alleged N54bn smart schools
By: Sunday Ameh
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia, Prince Paul Ikonne has called on Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, to desist from chasing political clout with the name of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and instead concentrate on providing answers to the questions and accountability to the people of Abia State.
Prince Ikonne said the governor’s recent public remarks on the issue of Nnamdi Kanu were nothing but a desperate attempt to gain attention.
Addressing a large gathering of Ukwa la Ngwa youths who paid him a courtesy visit, Prince Ikonne expressed deep concern that Governor Otti appeared to have continued to use sensitive national issues to distract Abia’s from his growing record of underperformance and questionable financial practices.
In a statement released Saturday in Abuja by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Ujo Justice, Ikonne said: “It is unfortunate that rather than giving Abians a transparent account of how public funds are being utilized, Governor Otti has chosen to play politics with the emotions of the people by dragging the name of Nnamdi Kanu into his failing government narrative.”
Prince Ikonne questioned the governor’s sincerity and credibility, wondering why the so-called ₦54 billion “Smart School” project and the ₦6 billion “Recreational Center” allegedly executed under Otti’s administration have remained invisible.
He challenged the governor to point to the exact locations of those projects and to invite the media for verification.
“If truly these projects exist, why were they not commissioned during the governor’s recent public show of some rehabilitated roads ? Why does every report from Abia Government House end up as social media content with no substance on the ground?” Ikonne queried.
He noted that the Abia State Government’s quarterly performance report shows disturbing figures — money written off for projects that neither exist nor can be traced — while the government continues to receive over ₦30 billion monthly in allocations and Internally Generated Revenue.
Prince Ikonne described Governor Otti’s administration as “a government of repainting, rebranding of some old structures while claiming new achievements.”
He added that Abians are now wiser and will no longer be deceived by mere aesthetics or photo opportunities.
On the issue of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the APC chieftain said: “For more than two years in office, Governor Otti never paid a visit, never made a concrete intervention, and never demonstrated any concern about Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s situation. Now that his government’s credibility is collapsing, he suddenly remembers Kanu. That is hypocrisy at its peak,” Ikonne said.
He emphasized that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will regain his freedom without Alex Otti’s political grandstanding, and urged the governor to stop exploiting the issue for personal and political advantage.
“Let me thank my friend and brother Hon. Obi Aguoch and Hon. Ichita for their efforts towards the freedom of Mazi Nnamdi which I believe will bring good results very soon.”
Prince Ikonne further encouraged Abia youths to remain vigilant, courageous, and firm in demanding accountability from their leaders, noting that no amount of propaganda can substitute for genuine performance.
He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ensuring consistent financial support to state governments and for creating national frameworks aimed at stabilizing the economy. Ikonne expressed disappointment that while such resources are available, the Abia State Government has failed to translate them into real developmental results.
“Leadership is about impact, not impression,” he concluded. “Abians deserve transparency, real projects, and visible progress — not endless excuses, photo-ops, and political drama.”
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