The media camps of the Labour Party (LP)-led government of Dr. Alex Otti and his predecessor, former governor Okezie Ikpeazu, have engaged in war of words, as the incumbent administration raises a fresh N500m allegation against Dr. Ikpeazu.
While the government is alleging that former governor Ikpeazu didn’t build any new Government House as his media team are claiming on the internet, Ikpeazu’s media team have come out to debunk the statement from Otti’s media team.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Senior Special Adviser to Otti on Media, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, the money, which was mapped out to be used in the renovation of the Abia State Government House, was allegedly diverted by Ikpeazu to build his house at Umuobiakwa, his country home in Obingwa Local Government.
Ekeoma, who said the government had already initiated moves to ensure that the former governor accounted for or returned the money to the state coffers, debunked that the former governor built a new Government House.
The state government recently came across a document, which showed that former governor Ikpeazu diverted a whopping Five Hundred Million Naira meant for the renovation of Abia State Government House and used same to build a house for himself at his Umuobiakwa country home in Obingwa Local Government.
“The government decided to take the necessary action to ensure that the former governor returns the money without unnecessary drama. Interestingly, the former governor got hint of the arrangement and decided to send his attack dogs led by his former commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, to carry out another laughable and thoughtless media onslaught, accusing Governor Otti of refusing to move into the so-called “New Government House” that does not exist and other outright mendacious fabrications.
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Responding, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Ikpeazu, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, said: “The Presidential Lodge is still intact, yet Otti abandoned it and chose to operate from his personal house.
“Apart from the new Presidential Lodge, there is also the old Presidential Lodge, which was fully renovated and refurbished by Ikpeazu.
“It’s on the road to Ojukwu Bunker with the official residences of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 Umuahia and the Commissioner of Police surrounding it. Why didn’t he move in there?
“Six months after taking office, you people cannot buy ordinary bed and foam plus chairs and tables to furnish a completed house? Yet you have spent N5.4 billion to run the office of the governor in three months inside Otti’s personal house?
“You have spent close to N900 million on food and refreshments inside Otti’s house?
“You have spent N540million on media and propaganda in three months? Yet you can’t buy ordinary bed and foam?
“If Otti was serious about helping the state, he would have committed funds to do whatever was needed to bring the Government House to his taste.”