By Mercy Gadia Adi
The Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has accused the Abia State Government under Governor Alex Otti of relying on propaganda to mask what it described as a glaring failure in governance, accountability, and transparency.
In a statement signed by Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, the Office faulted the Abia State Government’s reaction to Kalu’s recent remarks that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would take over the state in 2027 due to the “poor performance” of the current administration despite improved finances.
The statement was a direct response to comments credited to Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser on Media to Governor Otti, who had mocked the Deputy Speaker’s comments in a release titled “Governance in Abia: Benjamin Kalu Needs Tutorials More Than He Needs a Microphone.”
According to Kalu’s office, instead of responding to the issues raised, the Otti administration chose to launch “personal attacks and propaganda,” while avoiding questions of transparency and fiscal responsibility.
“We had expected answers that speak to governance, not theatrics. The administration’s failure to deliver on its promises is evident, and Abians will continue to demand accountability and tangible results,” the statement read.
Citing the Abia State Government’s own Q2 2025 Financial Report, the Office alleged that the state receives an average of ₦38 billion monthly from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), internally generated revenue (IGR), and various federal interventions.
It maintained that between April and June 2025 alone, Abia received over ₦114 billion, yet there were “no visible signs of development.”
“From crumbling schools and dilapidated roads to unpaid pensions and a collapsing healthcare system, there is no evidence of progress commensurate with the amount received,” the statement noted.
Kalu’s office also dismissed the Otti administration’s justification of exchange rate instability as a reason for slow progress, arguing that other states under similar economic pressures—such as Enugu, Anambra, and Imo—were actively executing major projects.
It further accused the government of failing to pay gratuities despite receiving nearly ₦1 trillion since June 2023, describing the situation as “hypocrisy from a government that keeps sloganeering ‘New Abia’ without living it.”
The statement criticized what it called a lack of empathy for Abia workers, noting that while other states had implemented the ₦70,000 minimum wage, Abia’s civil servants and healthcare workers remained underpaid.
It also alleged discrepancies in government spending, claiming that with about 67,000 workers on the state’s payroll, the administration spends ₦6.7 billion monthly on salaries, leaving ₦31.3 billion unaccounted for.
Kalu’s office further raised concerns over the $263.8 million African Development Bank (AfDB) syndicated loan recently approved for Abia State, as well as a $125 million disbursement from the Islamic Development Bank, saying there was “no trace of corresponding development on the ground.”
It accused the Otti administration of “borrowing without accountability” and substituting governance with “media hype and staged photo opportunities.”
“Governance in Abia has become a performance rather than a responsibility. The administration’s communication machinery may be efficient, but its governance record is an utter failure,” the statement added.
The statement concluded that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains confident of reclaiming Abia State in the 2027 elections, pledging that the party would deliver integrity-driven governance.
“The era of deceit and propaganda is gone. Abians must see through the smokescreen and demand better governance,” the Deputy Speaker’s office stated.