Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu and Gov Alex Otti

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has accused the Abia State Government of substituting governance with “propaganda and theatrics,” alleging that the administration of Governor Alex Otti has failed to translate the state’s improved finances into real development for the people.

In a statement released Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Kalu said that despite receiving record monthly allocations and several federal interventions, the Otti administration has not delivered meaningful infrastructure or welfare improvements in Abia.

The statement was issued in response to remarks by Ferdinand Ekeoma, media aide to Governor Otti, who had earlier criticized the deputy speaker’s comments about the Labor Party-led government’s performance.

Background to the Row

The political confrontation began after Kalu, while addressing members of the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) in Umuahia on Sunday, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) was preparing to take over power in Abia State in 2027.

He alleged that the Otti administration had underperformed despite increased revenue inflows. In reaction, Ekeoma issued a strongly worded statement titled “Governance in Abia: Benjamin Kalu Needs Tutorials More Than He Needs a Microphone,” accusing the deputy speaker of ignorance and political posturing.

But Kalu’s office maintained that his statements were backed by facts and official financial reports from the state government itself.

Abia’s Finances Under Scrutiny

Citing the Abia State Government’s Q2 2025 Financial Report, Kalu’s office stated that the state received an average of ₦38 billion monthly from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), internally generated revenue (IGR), and federal support funds such as flood relief and agricultural interventions.

According to the report published on the official state website (abiastate.gov.ng), Abia got over ₦114 billion between April and June 2025 alone. Yet, Kalu argued, the state remains underdeveloped with poor road infrastructure, unpaid pensions, and deteriorating schools and hospitals.

“The Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, PhD, CFR, was, therefore, absolutely correct by saying that Abia State received as much as ₦38 billion every month within the second quarter of 2025, but the people have nothing to show for it,” the statement read.

Exchange Rate Not an Excuse – Kalu’s Camp

Kalu’s media team dismissed Governor Otti’s repeated claim that exchange rate fluctuations had affected state projects, describing it as an “excuse for inefficiency.”

They argued that other South-east states such as Enugu, Anambra, and Imo were executing major infrastructure projects despite operating under similar national economic conditions.

The statement also accused the Abia State Government of neglecting pensioners, alleging that the state remains the only one in the region that has not paid gratuities since 2023, even after receiving close to ₦1 trillion in total revenue.

“Instead of addressing this injustice, the Otti administration coerced retirees into forfeiting over ₦70 billion in entitlements. This only exposes the hypocrisy of a government that keeps sloganeering ‘New Abia’ without living it,” it added.

Workers’ Welfare and Salary Concerns

The deputy speaker’s office further faulted the Otti government’s treatment of workers. It claimed that while some states have implemented the ₦70,000 minimum wage, Abia civil servants still earn less than half that amount.

At the Abia State Teaching Hospital, for example, junior health workers reportedly earn ₦29,000 monthly, while new nurses are paid around ₦80,000, far below the CONHESS benchmark of ₦340,000 implemented elsewhere.

“How can a government that preaches ‘compassion and reform’ treat its workers worse than its predecessors?” the statement queried.

Questions Over Missing Funds and Loan Utilisation

Kalu’s office also questioned how state funds are being utilised, alleging that although Abia’s monthly wage bill stands at about ₦6.7 billion for roughly 67,000 workers, ₦31 billion remains unaccounted for each month.

“The critical question remains: What exactly is the Abia State Government doing with the remaining billions? The administration has provided no answers, only excuses. Transparency, it appears, is not part of its governance vocabulary,” the statement said.

The statement further referenced the $263.8 million African Development Bank-led loan recently approved for Abia State, including $125 million already disbursed by the Islamic Development Bank, urging greater accountability in its management.

Conclusion