Chief John Okiyi Kalu, former Commissioner for Trade and Investment and Special Adviser on ICT and Social Media Strategy in Abia State, has responded to Governor Alex Otti’s recent allegations concerning fraud and mismanagement during the administration of former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Governor Otti had claimed in a recent interview with ARISE NEWS that the state government house was only partially completed and before commissioning under the Ikpeazu administration.
In his right of reply with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Kalu stated that the decision to leave parts of the building unfinished—specifically the governor’s residential quarters—was intentional.
“Personally, I supervised the furnishing of the governor’s office,” Kalu said. “The first floor houses the governor’s office, the ground floor is for leisure, and the top floor was designated as the governor’s residence. Dr. Ikpeazu decided that every new governor should furnish their living space according to their taste, so we left it for his successor to complete.”
He criticised Governor Otti for choosing to reside in his private home in Mfose rather than complete and occupy the government residence.
“This guy has had two years in office. In that time, he could have completed whatever was left. Instead, he used government funds to upgrade his private residence, which is a disservice to the people of Abia State,” Kalu alleged.
On financial matters, Kalu questioned Governor Otti’s claim of inheriting a ₦192 billion debt and reducing it by ₦70 billion through salary payments.
“My governor said he has paid down over ₦70 billion of Abia’s debt. I’m asking—who did you pay?” Kalu questioned.
He went further to accuse the Otti administration of employing questionable accounting tactics, which he described as “smart accounting.”
“This governor owed pensioners nine months of arrears, amounting to ₦10 billion. When he paid them, he allegedly made them sign away their historic pensions and gratuities. These were then written off the books and reported to the Debt Management Office (DMO) as cleared debts.”
Kalu also alleged that the current government failed to protect valuable medical equipment purchased for the still-incomplete multi-specialist hospital in Aba.
“A governor who took an oath to protect the lives and property of Abia people has allowed the vandalisation of vital hospital equipment. Some of it has been moved, and the rest was left unsecured. Now he’s lying to the public,” he said.
In defending the Ikpeazu administration, Kalu highlighted infrastructure projects completed during the previous administration.
“All the good roads in Aba, the traffic lights, and street lights that people now showcase on social media—those were built under Ikpeazu. He constructed roads, schools, and four general hospitals. He also linked all 700 primary healthcare centers to a 24/7 call center using telemetry.”