The war of attrition between Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Abia state governor, Alex Otti is yet to abate as Kalu has again told the governor that the state needs good governance and not propaganda.
Recall that Kalu has sounded a warning at the weekend in Umahi that APC will take over Abia state come 2027.
A statement on Tuesday by Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, said “The attention of the Office of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives has been drawn to a recent press statement titled “Governance in Abia, Benjamin Kalu Needs Tutorials More Than He Needs a Microphone” signed by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
“Rather than heeding the call of the indefatigable deputy speaker who has attracted so much to the state through his legislative sagacity to do more for the people, the Otti administration resorted to blatant propaganda and personal attacks which starkly contrast with the pressing issues and concerns raised by Deputy Speaker.
“The Otti administration’s failure to deliver on its promises is evident, and it is only natural for the opposition and the people to hold them accountable. The people of Abia state will continue to demand transparency, accountability, and tangible results from the government.
“This rebuttal therefore seeks to set the record straight, exposing the contradictions, failures, and falsehoods of a government that has substituted genuine governance with public relations theatrics.
“Abia’s Revenue Reality: ₦38 billion Monthly, Minimal Development. We maintain our position on the monthly financial accruals to the State based on the State’s own published statistics.
“According to the Abia State Government’s own Q2 2025 Financial Report published on its official website (abiastate.gov.ng), the state receives an average of ₦38 billion monthly from FAAC allocations, internally generated revenue (IGR), and various federal interventions such as flood relief and agricultural support, LNG dividends etc
“In QT2 ( April to June 2025) Abia received over ₦114 billion, yet the state remains visibly underdeveloped. From crumbling schools and dilapidated roads to unpaid pensions /gratuities and a collapsing healthcare system, there is no evidence of meaningful progress commensurate with Amount received monthly.
“The Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, PhD, CFR was, therefore, absolutely correct by saying that Abia State received much as ₦38 billion every month within the QTR 2 2025, but the people have nothing to show for it.
“The exchange rate excuse: Poor defence for failure. The administration of Governor Alex Otti has repeatedly cited exchange rate fluctuations as the reason for its lack of performance.
“However, this excuse is not tenable in the light of the realities in other states. Enugu, Anambra, and Imo, operating under the same economic conditions are actively commissioning landmark and signature projects such as roads, flyovers, housing estates, and healthcare projects.
“Exchange rate variations cannot explain Abia’s stagnation, particularly when the problem lies not solely in the economy but in mismanagement and misplaced priorities. Even recurrent expenditures like salaries and pensions, which are unaffected by exchange rate fluctuations, show glaring inefficiencies.
“Most disturbing is the fact that Abia remains the only state in Nigeria that has not paid a single kobo in gratuity, despite receiving nearly ₦1 trillion since June 2023. Instead of addressing this injustice, the Otti administration coerced retirees into forfeiting over ₦70 billion in entitlements. This only exposes the hypocrisy of a government that keeps sloganeering “New Abia” without living it.
“Minimum wage and workers welfare: Governance without empathy. While other states have fully implemented or even exceeded the ₦70,000 minimum wage, Abia’s civil servants are left languishing in economic hardship.
“Workers at the Abia State Teaching Hospital still earn ₦29,000 monthly, while newly recruited Nurses receive a paltry ₦80,000, far below the CONHESS-approved ₦340,000 already implemented in other states. Civil servants have continued to face delayed payments, arbitrary deductions, and intimidation for speaking out. How can a government that preaches “compassion and reform” treat its workers worse than its predecessors?
4) Workforce and expenditure: The Mystery of missing billions. Abia’s total workforce, including local government employees, stands at about 67,000 workers. Yet the state government consistently presents incomplete figures, often mentioning only the State civil servants while excluding local government workers.
“Even after retrenching over 10,000 workers under the guise of restructuring, the government’s own financial report shows that ₦6.7 billion is spent monthly on salaries leaving roughly ₦31.3 billion unaccounted for every month.
“The critical question remains: What exactly is the Abia State Government doing with the remaining billions? The administration has provided no answers, only excuses. Transparency, it appears, is not part of its governance vocabulary.
“The loan scandal: Borrowing without accountability. The National Assembly recently approved a $263.8 million African Development Bank (AfDB) syndicated loan for Abia state, with the Islamic Development Bank already disbursing $125 million of that amount. Yet, despite this massive financial injection, there is no trace of corresponding development on the ground.
