Abia youth group accuses Governor Otti of using state funds for presidential court case

The national body of the All Progressives Youths of Abia, on the platform of Abia Youths Interest Group (AYIG), has accused the state governor, Alex Otti, of funding the presidential court case of Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Mr. Otti is the only serving governor on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election, is challenging in court the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Addressing a press conference at the weekend, leaders of the Abia Youths Interest Group said if the state governor continues the funding of the presidential case it will have negative effect on the economy, welfare and development of the state.

A speech read by the head of media AYIG, Henry Chigozie, claimed that the funding of Obi’s case has led to the retrenchment of about 10,000 civil servants in the state, “thereby depriving Abians of the dividends of democracy.”

The statement read in part: “We, the Abia Youths Interest Group, a national umbrella body of All Progressive Youths of Abia irrespective of political affiliation, has observed with dismay the following dangerous developments, that if not immediately checked will plunge our dear state into avoidable socio-political crisis and financial quagmire:

“That Mr. Alex Otti is funding the presidential court case of Mr Peter Obi with Abia money leading to massive retrenchment and sacking of citizens thereby depriving Abians of the dividends of democracy. So far, in less than 3 months, over 10,000 Abia workers have been retrenched. This is unacceptable.

“In Otti’s Abia, transparency and accountability have been relegated to the background. No one knows the costs of projects nor contractors working on projects in Abia. This is to continuously siphoned and inflate projects cost so that Mr Alex Otti can be using Abia funds to sponsor Labour Party operations across Nigeria in his nefarious desire to destabilize the progressive government of Nigeria under the able leadership of President Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.

“That Mr Alex Otti is creating crisis and instigating political unrest in Imo state thereby creating political instability in the South-east. By asking a sister governor to immediately write his handover note, such unguarded and reckless statement which is capable of creating disunity amongst these states, can also lead to crisis amongst unsuspecting citizens.

“In view of the foregoing we wish to draw the attention of the nation, well meaning Abians and the relevant security agencies to these sinister activities and urge all concerned to take necessary steps to ensure that the interest of our great State and Nation is not jeopardized.”

Also speaking, Spokesperson of the group, Dr. Stephen Ukpai Ukwa, said the Labour Party-led Abia government should bear in mind that the youths of the state are watching and will resist any act that will endanger the wellbeing of Abia people.

“Mr. Governor should know that Abia youths will resist any act that will cause problem between we and the President of Nigeria. We will resist any act that will endanger the lives of Abia people. So, any act that will lead to the mismanagement of Abia state fund should stop forthwith.”

The Guardian has reached out to the Abia State Government over the allegations by the AYIG.