Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has insisted that the past governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, diverted the sum of N10 billion purportedly designated for the construction of an airport in the state to 32 different private accounts, according to a forensic audit report.
The governor made the revelation during his monthly media briefing “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” held at Government House, Umuahia on Friday. He said he anticipated the denials from the former governor after his government went public with the information in April about the missing airport.
How N10 Billion Was Stolen
During Friday’s briefing, Otti restated that N10 billion was moved out of the state coffers into a certain company account on September 26, 2020 for a phantom airport project, while Abians grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the money exited the government purse well before the past government even sought approval for the airport project from the state House of Assembly.
The governor clarified that FEROTEX Construction Company, the company supposedly awarded the contract and ostensibly into whose account the money was paid, confessed to never having applied for the job, and admitted to never having done an airport project in the past.
The governor implying FEROTEX was “deceived“, and merely used as a conduit to pipe out state resources.
It stands to reason, that the money may have then be paid out from the FEROTEX account to certain private accounts.
The governor promised to make the audited report by KPMG – a globally reputable audit firm, available to the public soon to establish the facts.
In The Governor’s Words
Otti remarked, “The immediate past governor’s denial was not unexpected. When it was announced, they went to the media abusing the government and saying that the government lied.
“It is a report by KPMG which says that they diverted the money into roads. In the bank statement on the 26th of September 2020 when people were dealing with COVID-19, a debit went into the state account for N10 billion and it was payment for an 80% contract of the Abia airport.
“It’s true and incontrovertible. The statement is there, the report is there. By the way, the report will be published very soon.
“But I can assure you that as reported by the media, it’s KPMG that did the forensic audit.
“So, clearly something went wrong. Our engagement with the company that received the money gives the impression that the company was deceived.
“The Managing Director of the company said that he told them that he had never built an airport before and that it is not his area of competence neither did he apply to them to construct an airport.”
Gov Otti explained that although the next stage of this inquiry will be left in the hands of security and law enforcement agencies, he personally has no interest in seeing anyone in jail, except to have Abia State monies returned for real development.
Okezie’s Initial Denial
When this news first broke in April, ex-governor Okezie’s aides immediately issued a sharp denial of the government’s allegations. It explained then that although the past government indeed initially planned on building an airport for the state, the priorities later changed on the advice of some elders of the state. They said at that point, the allocated money for the airport project was then utilized to fund a number of listed road projects in the state.
Politics In The Mix
Digressing into politics during the briefing, Otti downplayed his concerns over defections from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the federal ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
He claimed that politicians from other parties were also joining him in the Labour Party.
He said, “Our government is the government of the people. What is important for us is to give good governance and that is what we are doing.”
Mr. Otti is the only state governor in Nigeria of the Labour Party, and he has been credited as a shining example of good and people-focused governance.
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