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N10billion Abia airport fund: Otti’s lies, my story – Ikpeazu
“On the 13th of November 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu informed members of the State Executive Council about the details of his meeting with representatives of the traditional rulers in Abia State, who requested that we suspend the airport project and commit the funds earmarked for it to do more roads in the state, as we are surrounded by airports already but need to urgently improve internal roads that would give a further boost to the socio-economic activities of the state. Exco thereafter voted to approve the suspension and request to use the earmarked funds for road projects in the state.”
These were the exact words from the camp of Okezie Ikpeazu, on Monday, on a day the former governor once again joined issues with Alex Otti, his successor, while giving a detailed explanation to the whereabouts of the N10billion earmarked for the Abia Airport Project, which the governor had accused him of pocketing.
Waiving off the claims of diverting the said fund, the former governor, who admonished Otti, to focus on governance and stop deceiving the people with lies and fiction, stated that the tales about missing money and forensic report, were nothing more than clout-chasing, which would do nobody any good.
In fact, Ikpeazu, who insisted that no dime was missing from the state coffers during his period in office, maintained that on the contrary, if there was any question to answer, the governor should be the one to do so, adding that he (Otti) was merely diverting attention from the quarterly reports of the state, which exposed his government as being reckless with funds.
His words: “Accounting for the N10billion, no dime was diverted. Otti is diverting attention from his own quarterly report which captured him spending N3billion on research and nonexistent projects. Why is it that he is using the same Ferrotex contractor, who he accused of receiving N10billion from us for major contracts today? What stopped him or his auditors from asking Ferrotex for explanations? We have decided to respond to him with evidence of jobs done. The time of truth has come.”
Echoing Ikpeazu’s position, John Okiyi Kalu, former Commissioner for Information, who also took on the governor, urged him to stop playing to the gallery and tell people the truth with documents at his disposal.
Giving detailed explanation as an insider, he explained that the N10billion originally budgeted for the airport project was rechanneled into other projects, following the approval of the Executive Council, after traditional rulers in the state told Ikpeazu to forget an airport project but focus on repairing major roads in the state.
Adding that the royal fathers had argued that the airports in Owerri and Uyo made an Abia airport project unviable, Okiyi-Kalu, who later served as a Commissioner for Trade and Investment, regretted that it was shocking that after a demand was made for the publication of the much talked about audit, Otti and his media handlers rushed to a blogger to help them publish an indicting report against his former principal instead of the forensic audit report.
He revealed how the governor, had continued to award contracts to the same Ferotex Construction Company since coming into office, adding that apart from the Umuimo Road, Shalom Road and Umuode Road all in Aba, the company was also handing the 22.5 kilometres Isuikwuato-Abariba section of the 67.6 kilometres Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Abiriba-Ohafia Road, which is Otti’s biggest road project in Abia State.
Giving further details, he said the airport project issue first came to the Abia State Executive Council at a meeting on September 24, 2020, adding that based on the presentation made to the Exco, the members approved the project and also approved the borrowing of N10billion from UBA Plc as an initial investment by the state with repayment charged to our FAAC account with the bank.
“You may wish to recall that during the period, the country was still struggling to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic with very low FAAC and IGR inflows across the states. The current Secretary to State Government, who is an appointee of Otti, Prof Kenneth Kalu, can review and confirm his claim from Exco records in his custody.
“Shortly after we announced Exco’s approval of the airport project, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu received in audience executives of Abia State Traditional Rulers Council then led by HRM Eze Joseph Nwabekee. On November 17, 2020, Governor Ikpeazu took to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle to inform Abia Citizens that the airport project had been suspended.
Based on the turn of events, Bob Ogu, then Commissioner for works, on the prompting of Ikpeazu in anticipation of exco approval, selected road projects in Abia 2020 budget for funding with the N10 billion hitherto earmarked for the airport and allocated resources to the contractors, the former government spokesman said, adding that in all, the money was eventually sunk into 18 different projects.
He listed the projects to include: “China Zonghghao for Osisioma flyover Aba & ABSUTH Road Aba got N800,000,000. Trackcare Construction Company for Aba-Owerri road Aba (Brass to Osisioma junction segment, Ururuka road Aba, Afor Ibeji/ Ubakala Umuahia, Stella Marris Catholic Church, etc got N1,035,000,000. Ferrotex Construction Company for Aba-Owerri road (Railway junction-Brass junction segment) Aba, Obohia Road Aba, Opobo Junction-Ukpakiri Ogbor-Hill Aba, Uratta Ugwuati, Itungwa, Rehabilitation of failed Ururuka got N1,500,000,000.
“Shannah Jardon Construction Company for Okigwe Road Aba, Milverton Road Aba, Cemetery-Eziukwu Road Aba got N450,000,000. Ecklean: Osusu road Aba-N 200 000,000, Cosmos Construction Company for Immaculate Avenue Umungasi Aba got N150,000,000 while Setraco/Hartland for Port Harcourt road got N1,000,000,000.”
“Rockwaters for Ohanku Road Aba, Okpu Umuobo Aba got N650,000,000, MOW for Ebenma Street Aba and Ovom street Aba got N1, 130,000,000. Zubbalco for MBUBO Umuakwu got N200,000,000. Tunnel End Construction Company got N780,000,000 for the construction of Umuene-Obikabia, Umuojima-umuokiri- Ekeakpara, umuakatawom-Eziama-Ohanze while Paceo Carretera company got -N312,000,000 for the construction of Agalaba Ring road in Obingwa.
“Delhope Construction Company got N557,000,000 for the construction of Umuobiakwa-Owo road Obingwa, Federal Medical Centre internal road, Aba Road Umuahia (GG-shoprite). MOW construction got N325,000,000 for the construction of
Umuobiakwa internal roads, umuobiakwa (Gov) roads, Mbawsi internal roads and desilting of Aba big gutter while BOK construction got -N100,000,000 for the construction of Agbama Ring road Umuahia.
“Crystalkleen Construction for York/Jubilee/Nicholas street Aba got N30,000,000, Pumeco Construction for Aba road (Uchenna/ShopRite) Umuahia, Zero portholes in Umuahia roads got N353, 000,000, while Yodel construction for Afrata road, Umuahia got N100,000,000.
“E&P for Trinity College Road Umuahia got N60,000,000 and Obitex Development Company Ltd for construction of Ohuhu road from Isiokata, diversion from the gully erosion at isiokata to Umuawa Ohuhu to Nkwoegwu got N125,000,000.
“Smutedge Company got N200,000,000 for the rehabilitation of failed portions of Umuikaa-umuenne, Pacon Company got N12,000,000.00 for completion of drains at Ozuomba/Ohazu road. MOW company for Zero pot holes(Aba) got N 100,000,000, Charbel Company for Government house got 400,000,00 and the State Ministry of Public Utilities got N100,000,000 for Streetlights.”
Explaining however that the list containing the tranche payments was not exhaustive as those were the only ones in his personal Exco note that he kept during meetings, he said that it is also true that other tranche payments were made from other sources, stressing that the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Finance which had Aham Uko as commissioner, should be able to supply a more comprehensive list to what he was saying.
Okiyi-Kalu, who further revealed that Ferotex Construction Company, as one of the reputable indigenous construction companies with anti-graft agencies’ clearance was selected by the Ikpeazu administration as lead company in the “contractor financier” arrangements with UBA, added that the above-mentioned arrangement, the “contractor financier” arrangement was not alien within the public sector, stressing that a similar arrangement was entered into by the Otti’s government with Craneburg Construction Company for N50bn facility earmarked for “various roads.”
He said that such lead companies were more or less consultants that would receive the bulk amount and pay other road contractors as banks would not likely agree to enter into multiple agreements with all the contractors.
Dismissing Otti’s claim that he got the top three audit firms in the world to do the forensic audit as untrue, given that nothing showed that the said firms followed the money as expected of them he maintained that a serious audit investigation would simply seek to establish if the allocated funds got to the companies and also if the contractors did the work.
His words “Those who claim that there was need for “virement” may be speaking out of ignorance in this case. The road projects were already in our approved 2020 budget, hence no need for further house approval. All state revenues are expected to be used to fund state budget and from the time we had approval to spend on the roads instead of Airport there is, no further need for legislative approval.
“For the further education of those who verbalize terms they do not understand, “virement” is the process of transferring items from one financial account to another. In this case, the airport project and the road projects must both be in the 2020 budget before you can execute virement.”
Anybody with credible information on the wrong use of its trucks will be richer by a whopping N500,000, going by signals coming from Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) – an initiative to encourage whistleblower to report sharp practices within its operations.
The company, which said the move is part of efforts to curb unauthorised haulage activities and protect the integrity of its nationwide logistics operations, encouraged the public to report any suspected cases of its trucks being used to transport unauthorised goods or passengers.
The conglomerate in a statement on Sunday, reiterating it consistent warning that only approved products were permitted to be conveyed by trucks belonging to its subsidiaries, maintained that Dangote Cement trucks are authorised to transport only cement, limestone, high-grade gypsum, coal and clinker, Dangote Sugar Refinery trucks, to sugar products while those of NASCON Allied Industries were designated for Dangote Salt and DanQ Seasoning products.
Part of the statement, read: “Dangote Packaging vehicles are to carry bags and packaging materials, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals trucks are approved for polypropylene products, while Dangote Fertiliser Limited vehicles are authorised to transport urea fertilizer.
“Anyone with verifiable information that leads to the arrest of persons involved in illegal haulage activities or the recovery of unauthorized goods transported on Dangote trucks will receive a cash reward of Five Hundred Thousand Naira.”
In the programme, whistleblowers would be required to to provide details such as the truck type, registration plate number, cab number, location, description of the goods being transported, colour of the vehicle, and photographs where possible, to aid investigations through dedicated hotlines across its operations to receive reports of illegal haulage activities.
Stating that law enforcement agencies, including the police, have been authorised to arrest drivers found using Dangote trucks for unauthorised commercial haulage, the company reiterated its zero-tolerance stance against logistics-related fraud, saying the whistleblower programme is aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and compliance across its logistics network.
It added: “Public cooperation remains critical in our efforts to eradicate illegal haulage activities. We encourage anyone with credible information to come forward and help us maintain the integrity of our transportation system.”
Except any miracle happens, it is becoming obvious that no member of the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will contest the 2027 general elections at any level, as the door has obviously been slammed on the face of the camp by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This fact became evident with the opposite camp led by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), fully uploading the names of its own candidates in the commission’s nomination portal.
After ostensibly losing out in the bid to remain the National Chairman of the party, on the strength of the PDP convention held in Ibadan in November 2025, Turaki, had a lee-way when he was announced by the party’s Boad of Trustees (BoT), as the Chairman of a 13-man Caretaker Committee, inaugurated by Adolphus Wabara on May 4 this year.
INEC appears not swayed over the Wabara initiative, and has continued to deal with the Wike group, despite the argument that the verdict of the Supreme Court also decapitated the wings upon which it sought to fly by upholding the suspension of Sam Anyanwu, as National Secretary, and thus rendered the meeting he called that led to the opposite leadership, INEC, appears swayed.
Abdulrahman Mohammed, National Chairman, of the Wike camp, who announced the latest development in a statement on Sunday, said: “This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the promise we made that, under my leadership, the PDP will fully participate in the 2027 General Elections. Today, we have taken another decisive step towards fulfilling that promise.
“As we await the conclusion of the upload of our Governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates, I, on behalf of the National Working Committee of our Party, extend my heartfelt congratulations to all PDP members across Nigeria and around the world. Together, we will continue to build a stronger, more united Party and a better future for our nation.”
On May 26, the Wike-backed PDP named Sandy Onor, a former senator, as its presidential candidate.
On May 30, the opposition party faction led by Kabiru Turaki announced former President Goodluck Jonathan as its standard-bearer for the 2027 elections.
On July 10, Wike said it would be difficult for the PDP to win a presidential election unless it first resolved its lingering internal crises.
The minister added that political parties hoping to win the presidency must surmount their internal challenges and strengthen their grassroots structures.
“We are not passers-by in our nations. We are bona fide citizens of the nation. We have a right to participate in who governs us,” were the exact words with which David Oyedepo, Presiding bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, sought to rouse the consciousness of Nigerians to directly get involved in the affairs of the country.
Oyedepo, a known critic of President Bola Tinubu, directly asked members of the church to obtain their voter cards to do the needful, through active participation in the electoral process as responsible citizens.
On Sunday during the church’s service at the Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun state, Oyedepo said Christians have a civic responsibility to participate in deciding who governs their countries, the fiery cleric admonished his flock: “We have a civic responsibility as responsible citizens of our various nations. This church is today in 144 nations.
“So, endeavour to secure your voter cards. You are men and women of the spirit. You should know on your own personal conviction where to cast your vote.
“You, as bona fide citizens of your respective countries should not remain indifferent to the electoral process. So, please go ahead. It’s part of our policy; you will find it in our mandate. So, go ahead and ensure that you secure your voter’s right. And this church, with the millions that we have, we have a say in it. So, be part of it.”
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