By Jude Opara, Abuja
A support group of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia state, Abia Interest Association (A.B.I.A) has petitioned the governments of United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK) and many others to place Gov. Alex Otti of Abia state on a visa ban, pending when his government shows proof of N54 billion spent for the renovation of public schools in the state.
Other countries and international bodies petitioned include: Germany, China, Australia, Canada, Britain Switzerland, The European Union (EU) and Africa Union (AU).
Addressing a press conference Wednesday in Abuja, Convener of Abia Best Interest Association, Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, said the governor and his officials have involved in diversionary tactics instead of providing an empirical evidence of the 51 smart schools for which 54 Billion Naira was spent from the state coffers in the last quarter of 2024.
Chikamnayo further added that the failure or refusal to publish the list, location, contractors and pictures of the purported Smart Public School Projects for which over N78 Billion Naira has now been spent between the 2nd quarter of 2023 and third quarter of 2025 is a clear indication of systemic corruption, impunity, lack of transparency and accountability in governance.
It could be recalled that the APC group had earlier petitioned some anti-corruption agencies to investigate and unravel the controversy.
According to the group, latest fact finding visits to many public schools in Abia state still indicated that over 95% of them are still in a state of severe neglect, with dilapidated buildings, unfenced compounds, together with absence of teaching materials.
“These troubling realities stand in stark contrast to the said expenditure recorded in the State Government Budget Performance Reports which, as we earlier observed is different from other financial inflows recorded under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and various Federal Intervention Programs.
“We are, therefore, compelled to take the following additional measures:
1.Write the Government of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany China, Australia, Canada, Britain Switzerland, The European Union and Africa Union to deny Mr. Alex Otti Visa to the United States of America and the aforementioned countries in order to halt his frequent travels to the United States to enable him address the serious questions regarding the whereabouts of these funds and the lack of transparency and accountability in his government.
“Continue to engage with the Nigerian anti-corruption bodies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Finance, World Bank, Transparency International and other relevant institutions.
“Already we have writing official letter to the above bodies and other international organization that specialized in basic Education demanding urgent intervention to rescue the State from any attempt by Mr Alex Otti from using Education as a conduit pipe for miss appropriation of Public Funds.”
The group equally took a swipe at the the Labour Party government of claiming federal roads being done by the state for reimbursement as his projects, insisting that there is no accountability and transparency in the Otti administration.
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