A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Prince Paul Ikonne, has called on Governor Alex Otti to publish proof of schools renovated with the ₦54 billion reportedly spent on education projects in 2024.
In a statement issued Tuesday through his Chief Press Secretary, Ujo Justice, Ikonne accused the governor of “distracting the people with contradictions” rather than addressing mounting concerns over the state’s finances.
The controversy stems from Governor Otti’s recent denial, during his monthly media chat, that ₦54 billion was missing from the state treasury. Otti dismissed the allegations as “baseless,” attributing them to a misunderstanding of budgeting and expenditure processes.
Ikonne, however, faulted the explanation, citing budget performance reports and a Sahara Reporters investigation, which indicated that ₦54.066 billion was recorded as expenditure on school rehabilitation in the last quarter of 2024 alone, while ₦58.323 billion was captured for the full year.
According to him, if Otti insists that only ₦2.1 billion was actually spent, then he must reconcile the discrepancy with official records showing otherwise. He recalled that a past administration had similarly announced ₦18 billion for school renovation “without tangible results.”
The former governorship candidate also pointed to the approved 2024 budget, which earmarked ₦64.7 billion for the renovation and modelling of 51 schools — an average of ₦1.26 billion per school. This, he argued, raises further questions about transparency.
Ikonne threw his weight behind the Freedom of Information (FOI) request filed by the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), which is demanding a breakdown of the ₦54 billion expenditure, including names and locations of the schools allegedly renovated.
“Budgets are estimates, but expenditures are facts. If the governor disputes the ₦54 billion reported as spent between October and December 2024, he should simply publish the list of schools. Abians are asking for evidence, not excuses,” Ikonne stated.
He urged Otti to embrace accountability and “stop propaganda,” insisting that true leadership must reflect openness and responsibility.
