Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, the governor’s special adviser on media and publicity, and Mr. Obinna Oriaku, the former commissioner for finance during the administration of previous governor Okezie Ikpeazu, have dug in again over a new road project that the governor has signed off.
While writing on the 19.1km pilot road connecting Itungwa – Omoba – Amaise – Amairi – Mgboko – Ahiaba Ubi – Nkwo Elechi, Oriaku alleged that the present administration of Governor Alex Otti did not contribute a dime to the project.
He claimed the project was re-initiated in 2016 by the Ikpeazu administration and now being funded by the World Bank.
Oriaku further alleged that Governor Otti was concentrating his road construction jobs on roads in Abia North Senatorial zone and abandoning his own local government.
Oriaku wrote:
“The current state administration has no 1 kobo contribution outside those initial investments made by the state before now.
“We will not allow anybody to use the World Bank project to make up for the neglect of the supposed governor’s local government”.
But responding, Ekeoma berated the former finance commissioner, accusing him of attempts to misinform the people with lies and clannish politics.
“Yes, it’s a World Bank sponsored project, but it’s Abia money because we are making huge financial contributions.
“Oriaku knew he was lying, but he had to lie to diminish the present government and misinform the public so as to become the village square champion he wants to become for the purposes of cheap attention.
“For the record, the Alex Otti led-government has paid a whopping sum of N600 million as a counterpart fund with an outstanding sum of 2.6 billion Naira. This is verifiable,” Ekeoma said.
Written By Daniel Chibuike