News
Abia Forensic Report: Governor Alex Otti should publish the report now
By John Okiyi Kalu
After former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s team busted the brazen lies about Abia Airport project with facts and documents, Governor Alex Otti is now making new false claims on bailout fund and Paris Club refund instead of publishing the forensic audit that allegedly found, among other things, that N10b was paid for a non existent Abia Airport project. He should bring it on because facts are still sacred.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commisison (ICPC) and members of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) applauded Dr Ikpeazu for managing those funds transparently. There are also banking and other documentary proof on the application of the funds. Leaders of organized labour in Abia State were actually members of the committee that recommended how the funds were shared and should be ready to give evidence if called upon. The ICPC report on the use/application of the bailout funds is available to all interested Nigerian.
In Ikpeazu’s time as Governor, he was not only bold enough to announce receipts of bailout/Paris Club refund and the figures to Abia public, he also had organized labor making recommendations, and actually supervised the disbursement
Governor Alex Otti, should be compelled to publish his so called forensic audit report now, and unbiased Nigerians along with the Ikpeazu team are still insisting he does that while others compile and publish their own report on Otti’s administration, from Signature Bank through Abia Cryptocurrencies to alleged contract inflations. This is now more important and urgent because excerpts from the recently released quarterly financial report published by the Otti administration showed entries such as over N3billion naira spent on “research & development”, billions of naira collected as “security votes” and other tears inducing entries.
If Governor Alex Otti ever proves that Dr Ikpeazu paid N10bn for any airport project, I will leave all social media platforms permanently. The simple proof is to follow the money and identify where it landed with airport project or airport contractor.
On my own, I will soon publish documents available to me to prove decisively that the proposed Abia airport project was canceled by the state executive council, I was a member of, on Friday, 13th of November 2020.
Let’s entrench transparency in Abia State rather than celebrate partisan witch hunt by a Governor who obviously is seeking to use the media and international platforms to smear his predecessor.
Meanwhile, Governor Alex Otti and his government should immediately restore all the archieved financial reports published from 2016 to 2023 by the Ikpeazu administration via the state website, abiastate.gov.ng. It is fraudulent to remove the public data and I wish to call on SFTAS, Federal Ministry of Finance, anti-corruption and data management agencies in Nigeria to rise up to this occasion and ask Governor Otti and his government why those documents were removed.
It is noteworthy that the Ikpeazu administration was the first ever in Abia State to publish quarterly and annual financial reports via newspapers and the state website.
Contrary to the earlier boasts of Governor Otti’s media minions, he is yet to publish the so called forensic report by “one of the top 3 audit firms in the world” for the auditees to respond publicly after being accused publicly in faraway USA. Why is he afraid of publishing a document he made copious public reference to in faraway United States of America if he is sure of his facts?
Nigerians also deserve to see that report as well as know how much was paid from Abia State account to the “reputable” auditors that dared prepare and release an audit report without seeking any response from the auditees.
Why is it taking so long to publish a report Governor Alex Otti claimed was with him and made public reference to? When will the world learn of the companies that allegedly collected billions of tax payers money from Abia State without doing any work? Why is the Governor and his government protecting the identity of supposed fraudulent companies but hastened to accuse his predecessor?
It is crass and unacceptable to employ the resources of a state to engage in media trial of your predecessor without offering documents you have publicly cited as evidence. Bring it on Governor Alex Otti, publish the audit document or at least go back to John Hopkins University and apologize to Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
Abians deserve to know who collected N10bn for airport and did nothing. They also deserve to know the construction companies that allegedly collected tens of billions of naira from Ikpeazu administration and did nothing. We already know that as Governor Dr Ikpeazu did not sign any cheque and have made clear that the allegation of paying N10b for Airport project is false. So we are interested in finding out if there are people in his adminstration that did what Governor Otti alleged so that such people can be punished.
If Governor Alex Otti is afraid of naming supposed criminally complicit individuals and the contracting companies that received the money why did he make public allegations to smear the image of Nigeria and Abia State before the international community? It is my view that the Presidency and NGF should consider a strong public reprimand for Governor Otti to prevent future bitter Governors from rubbishing the country’s image abroad.
It is already more than one week since Governor Alex Otti made his spurious allegations in USA and Abians should not be distracted by any forensic “premium whisky” video released by his own team in USA from continuing to ask for the audit report until Otti makes it public. Governor Otti obviously has the highest media and publicity budget in the south east region, ostensibly for propagating bitter lies against his predecessor and others who are opposed to his make-believe style of governance, yet that should not be enough to allow him get away with needless economic sabotage against Nigeria.
Unfortunately, those who believe the allegations made by Governor Otti did so because they rightly expected a Governor not to lie so brazenly in public, but just like in the past, this forensic tale by moonlight will expose the real Otti after he must have published the report and his predecessor’s response is also made public. Dr Ikpeazu apparently does not have anything to hide hence his well documented demand that the audit report be made public for him to read and respond accordingly.
Governor Otti knows he has been boxed in, just like he was when he lied that Ikpeazu administration did not invest in Aba IPP of Geometric Company, because he can not deny that he told the world about N10bn being spent on an airport project in Abia State.
Mr Otti must also know that leadership is different from skit making and content creation for public applause as he obviously did with his artificial intelligence joke. He made a weighty allegation that impugned on someone’s hard-earned reputation, demarketed Nigeria at a global stage and the onus is on him to prove it, or at least, make the report public for those concerned to give an equally very public response with or without availability of “premium whisky.”
No matter how cheap talk is,Governor Otti should not use it to malign others. Abians are still waiting for the audit report!
Kalu (Nwandugbom JOK), was former Commissioner For Information, Trade & Investment, Abia State.
News
Why Prominent Individuals Pay Premium for Online Credibility in the Digital Age – Ayobami Eruobami
As the global economy becomes increasingly digital, Eruobami Ayobami, Chairman of Erumedia Group & Charity Trust who also doubled as the founder of Pressford , has shared a bold perspective on the rising demand for online credibility and why individuals are now investing significantly to build it.
In a world dominated by platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, first impressions are no longer made in rooms but on screens.
“Credibility today is no longer something people wait to discover about you. It is something they search for instantly,” Ayobami stated. “If your digital presence does not validate your value, you are already at a disadvantage.”
This shift has transformed credibility into a high value digital asset one that professionals, founders, and public figures are now actively building through media exposure, strategic storytelling, and search visibility.
Erumedia Group: Building the Narrative Behind Credibility
As a Public Relations, communications and media company, www.erumediagroup.com focuses on shaping the foundation of credibility helping individuals and organizations define, structure, and communicate their stories with clarity and authority.
“Before visibility comes narrative. Many people struggle not because they lack value, but because they lack structured positioning,” Ayobami explained. “At Erumedia Group, we help clients refine their voice, their message, and the way they are perceived before they ever go public.”
Through brand development, storytelling strategy, and reputation positioning, the company ensures that credibility is not just visible but meaningful and consistent.
Pressford: Distributing Credibility at Scale
While narrative builds the core, Pressford plays a different role amplification.
As a press release distribution and digital PR platform, Pressford enables individuals and organizations to translate their credibility into verifiable public presence across media channels.
“Pressford exists because credibility must not only be built it must be seen, indexed, and validated publicly,” Ayobami said. “It gives individuals the infrastructure to show up in search results, in news mentions, and in conversations that matter.”
By making media visibility more accessible, Pressford addresses one of the biggest gaps in the digital credibility cycle: discoverability.
The Business of Being Seen
Ayobami notes that the increasing willingness to pay for credibility is not driven by vanity, but by necessity.
“Opportunities today are often given to those who appear prepared, visible, and validated. The market responds to perception before it investigates performance,” he stated.
However, he also warns against mistaking visibility for substance.
“If credibility is only built on aesthetics without real value behind it, it will fail. The goal is not to look credible it is to be credible and ensure that credibility is visible.”
A Shift That Cannot Be Ignored
As digital ecosystems continue to shape human interaction and business decisions, Ayobami believes the importance of intentional credibility building will only grow stronger.
“The future belongs to individuals who understand that credibility is not accidental. It is designed, positioned, and distributed,” he concluded.
Eruobami Ayobami is a Professional Public Relations Executive, Media Entrepreneur, Personal Brandinf Expert and communications strategist.
He Chairs Erumedia Group and Charity Trust and Founded Pressford. His work focuses on helping individuals and organizations build, structure, and amplify their digital credibility.
From Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s former President, came a mild rebuke to Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, who in assessing the quality of his six-year tenure as Nigerian leader, all but dismissed him as “inexperienced.”
Atiku, a guest of Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS Television, last week, told his host that Jonathan was inexperienced, saying his tenure was marked by notable missteps.
“I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man, but also inexperienced, and I believe that contributed to his inability to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” Atiku, currently chasing the number one job the former President exited in 2015 for the seventh time, said.
But in a measured riposte at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria awards ceremony in Abuja on Monday, Jonathan, while acknowledging that he must have made some mistakes, argued that errors were inevitably with human beings as only God could be perfect,
Reacting to Atiku’s remarks, he told his audience: “So not too long ago, a very senior politician said, ‘Oh, Jonathan was too young and probably that’s why he made mistakes.’
“If I made mistakes, yes, nobody who becomes a governor or a president will say you did not make mistakes. Even when you promote yourself to the level of a god, you become a deity.
“All human beings must make mistakes. I became president in 2010 at the age of 53. I left in 2015 at the age of 58, and they say I was too young. Must it have been 100 years before I ran the affairs of the state?
“I’m talking to diplomats, so I can say that during my period, I knew what I did for us to appear in the UN Security Council two times… If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate through that process.”
Jonathan also spoke on regional affairs, warning that political instability remains a major obstacle to economic growth across West Africa. He stressed that without stable governance systems, meaningful development in the sub-region would remain elusive.
“We cannot progress economically if we are very unstable societies politically,” he said.
Jonathan noted that while the founders of ECOWAS envisioned strong economic cooperation, persistent political crises have hindered progress, particularly in enforcing democratic standards among member states.
“That means that ECOWAS must interfere with the internal affairs of the states, and the issue of sovereignty becomes a problem,” he said.
Jonathan urged leaders in the region to work collectively towards stability, saying, “The heads of states of ECOWAS must continue to work together and agree on concrete terms and make sure that the sub-region is politically stable.”
He added that economic integration efforts would falter without solid democratic institutions and called on Nigerian diplomats to properly document foreign policy experiences for future leaders.
Paying tribute to ECOWAS founders, including former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, Jonathan described the creation of the bloc in 1975 as a bold and necessary step toward regional unity and economic integration.
Gowon, who was also honoured at the event, recounted the origins of ECOWAS, linking its formation to post-war diplomatic engagements across West Africa.
According to him, “It was as a result of the various efforts of all Nigerians when we went through a very difficult period, and I had to go to the various countries to say thank you.”
He said discussions with regional leaders at the time led to a shared vision for broader cooperation.
“Why don’t we also think about having something that we can at least have in agreement for all of us when we are working together?” he said.
Gowon emphasised that ECOWAS was the product of collective effort rather than individual ambition, crediting government institutions and civil servants for its success.
“This would not have been possible without the support of all the staff of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Development,” he stated.
He added that the recognition bestowed on him should be shared widely.
“The honour that is being done to me today should really go back to all the staff that worked so hard to make sure that this became a reality,” he said.
Also speaking, the President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, Joe Keshi, highlighted the importance of honouring excellence in diplomacy, noting that the awards celebrate dedication and service to Nigeria and the continent.
“Diplomacy is one profession where success is often invisible, reflected not by news coverage, but by maintained stability, prevented conflicts, cultivated partnerships,” he said.
Keshi noted that the event coincides with the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, describing the organisation as “a bold experiment in regionalism,” and urged diplomats to adapt to evolving global challenges.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waheed Shaibu, also praised Gowon, describing him as a symbol of national unity and visionary leadership.
He said the recognition offers a chance to reflect on a legacy “defined by visionary leadership, courage, and unwavering commitment to the unity, stability, peace, and progress” of Nigeria.
Shaibu added that Gowon’s leadership reflected “patriotism, resilience, and a profound sense of duty,” while commending ARCAN for its continued contribution to diplomatic discourse and Nigeria’s global engagement.
After months of official hiatus, the Federal Government, on Tuesday finally got on the way with the trial of those fingered in the alleged plot to oust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through a coup, including Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum.
The move, which apart from the former Governor of Bayelsa State, came with the filing of a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the alleged plotters including Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired General in the Nigerian Army, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired Naval Captain, Ahmed Ibrahim, a serving police inspector, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
Sylva, whose name surfaced as one of the plotters when the news first broke and believed to be the major financier of what would have led to another military government in Nigeria after the last ended in 1999, was listed as being at large – on the run.
The charge, filed on Monday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accuses the defendants of offences ranging from alleged treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The Federal Government further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, but failed to alert authorities.
Furthermore, the defendants were also accused, according to the charge, of, while “knowing that a treasonable act was intended to be committed, did not give information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President… or a peace officer.”
They were also accused of failing to take preventive steps and “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence”.
Beyond treason, the defendants are facing terrorism-related charges of conspiracy under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings linked to the alleged plot “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The charge also accused the defendants of providing support for terrorism, alleging that they “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.
The prosecution alleged deliberate suppression of intelligence, stating that the defendants “had information which would be of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism but failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable”.
Financially, several defendants were accused of handling funds linked to terrorism financing, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Bukar Kashim Goni allegedly “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000, which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing”, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2m from a similar source.
According to the charge, Zekeri Umoru “without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of N10,000,000″ and also retained an additional N8.8m suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of “the sum of N1,000,000, being part of proceeds of terrorism financing”.
Alleged Coup Plot, Protests
After the Federal Government cancelled the parade to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary on October 1, 2025, reports had claimed that the move was linked to an alleged coup attempt.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed the claims, however, saying the parade cancellation had nothing to do with the alleged coup attempt.
In January 2026, the DHQ confirmed that there was an attempt to overthrow President Tinubu.
The DHQ Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, said investigations showed some military personnel were involved in the alleged coup plot.
According to Uba, the officers have been detained and would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
Last month, families of the military officers detained over the alleged coup plot appealed to Tinubu to allow the suspects to be tried in an open court.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore protested alongside the detained officers’ families. They also asked for access to the alleged coup plotters.
Why Prominent Individuals Pay Premium for Online Credibility in the Digital Age – Ayobami Eruobami
Jonathan to Atiku: I don’t play God *I still achieved, though imperfect
BREAKING: FG opts for open court trial of coup plotters against Tinubu
-
News4 weeks agoGovernor weeps, as terrorists kill soldiers, police in night ambush
-
Columns3 weeks agoSeun Okinbaloye saga: How does Tinubu survive if Wike resigns?
-
Columns1 week agoAbike Dabiri: Did Obi raise a monster or you’re drunk on Tinubu’s poisoned chalice?
-
News2 weeks agoStop using Latin phrases, make clear, unambiguous orders – NBA tells courts
-
News4 weeks agoBREAKING: Bloody day in Ibadan! *Trailer loses control, crushes residents!
-
News2 weeks agoNafiu Gombe: Yes, I have sponsors! *I can’t fight ADC big men alone!
-
Columns4 days agoBe the hero that saved Nigeria! Open letter to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
-
Columns2 weeks agoCentus Nweze (JSC): Death of legal purist, irony of Nigerian judiciary