By Ken Afor
Abia State Governor, Mr Alex Otti has alleged that his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu, diverted the sum of N10 billion earmarked for the construction of an airport in the state by transferring it into 32 separate company accounts.
The governor further alleged that the money had already been transferred out of the state government’s account before approval was sought from the Abia State House of Assembly.
Speaking during his monthly media chat titled:”Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” held at the Government House in Umuahia recently , Otti provided details regarding an auditing process his administration commissioned to examine financial records and transactions in the state.
He addressed denial from the immediate past governor, Ikpeazu to the effect that no such money was embezzled, stating that such a response was not unexpected.
He said: “The immediate past governor’s denial is not unexpected. When it was announced, they went to the media abusing the government and saying that the government lied.
“It is a report by KPMG which says that they diverted the money into roads. In the bank statement on the 26th of September 2020 when people were dealing with COVID-19, a debit went into the state account for N10 billion and it was payment for an 80 per cent contract of the Abia airport.
“It’s true and incontrovertible. The statement is there, the report is there. By the way, the report will be published very soon.”
According to Otti, a former Managing Director/CEO of Diamond Bank now Access Bank Plc, media reports had indicated that rather than denying the misappropriation of the said funds, the previous administration claimed to have utilized the money for road construction projects. However, Otti asserted that this claim contradicts available evidence in the State.
During the media chat, the former banker disclosed that the management of FEROTEX Construction Company, a company allegedly used for siphoning the said funds, has admitted to never applying or being awarded the aborted airport project under the previous administration.
“The Managing Director of the company said that he told them that he had never built an airport before and that it is not his area of competence neither did he apply to them to construct an airport.”
“Our government is the government of the people. What is important for us is to give good governance and that is what we are doing,” he noted.
Otti further stated that once the forensic audit report is eventually published, the matter will be handed over to security agencies for further investigation and necessary action. However, the governor emphasized that his primary interest lies in ensuring that alleged misappropriated funds are refunded, rather than seeking imprisonment for those involved.
