Abia State Governor Alex Otti has launched a scathing attack on the previous administration led by Okezie Ikpeazu, accusing it of wasting N9.8 billion (approximately $29 million) on the Port Harcourt Road reconstruction project in Aba without delivering results.

Speaking at a thanksgiving and carnival event organized by the Aba community at Umuagbai Secondary School on Wednesday, Otti dismissed critics of his administration's spending on the same road, which has now been completed at a cost of N36.5 billion.

"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.

The governor explained the financial context of both projects: "When in 2025, the road cost N36.5 billion, they started making noise. So, I said, 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 organized to celebrate the completion of Port Harcourt Road and other infrastructure projects implemented 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 will be deployed within the next two months, signaling a push toward modernizing transportation in the state.

In a gesture highlighting his administration's focus on integrity, the governor also rewarded a tricycle driver who returned N2.4 million forgotten by a passenger, commending him for his honesty.

The convener of the carnival, Onyeka Ernest Udeajah, and the State Chairman of the Cooperative Motor Union, Mr. Chukwuma Azodo, both acknowledged that the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road has revitalized many businesses that had previously collapsed due to poor infrastructure.

This public criticism is the latest in a series of exchanges between Governor Otti and supporters of the former administration, highlighting ongoing political tensions in Abia State as the current government continues to review projects initiated by its predecessor.