Abia State Governor Alex Otti has launched a scathing attack on his predecessor's administration, accusing former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of wasting N9.8 billion (approximately $29 million) on the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba without completing the project.
Speaking at a thanksgiving and carnival event organized by the Aba community on Wednesday at Umuagbai Secondary School, Otti addressed criticisms over the cost of his administration's completion of the same road project.
"In 2017, they awarded this Port Harcourt Road. The amount at that time was N9.8 billion. And they paid out the entire money. But the road was not done," Otti stated. "So, when in 2025, the road cost N36.5 billion, they started making noise. Since you people understand mathematics, the average exchange rate in 2017 was N333 to a dollar. Now, if you apply that, the N9.8 billion was actually USD29 million equivalent."
The event was held to celebrate the completion of Port Harcourt Road and other infrastructure projects undertaken by the current Abia State government in Aba, the commercial hub of the state.
During the ceremony, Otti announced that his administration has procured 20 electric buses that would be rolled out within the next two months, signaling a move toward modernizing public transportation in the state.
In a gesture highlighting his administration's emphasis on integrity, the governor rewarded a tricycle driver who returned N2.4 million forgotten by a passenger, commending him for his honesty.
The carnival's convener, Onyeka Ernest Udeajah, and the State Chairman of Cooperative Motor Union, Mr. Chukwuma Azodo, both acknowledged that the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road has revitalized numerous businesses that had previously collapsed due to poor infrastructure.
This public criticism is part of an ongoing tension between the current administration and officials from the previous government, with Otti referring to his opponents as "noise makers" who fail to acknowledge the progress being made under his leadership.
