Gov Otti reveals on how Ikpeazu’s govt transferred #10B Airport fund into 32 different accounts.

Gov Otti reveals on how Ikpeazu’s govt transferred #10B Airport fund into 32 different accounts.

….Vows to recover same

By: Sam Obinna Ibe
Umuahia.

Abia State Governor,Dr Alex Chioma Otti has revealed on how the immediate past administration of his predecessor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu purportedly transfered the sum of ten billion naira #10 billion Airport fund into thirty two different accounts,vowed to recover same to build infrastructure the fund is meant for in the state .

Governor Alex Otti who stated that his government is not interested in chasing shadows but is duty bound to recover the state funds to develop the state granted that there is nowhere in the State one can find the purported Abia airport.

Throwing more lights into the weighty issue during the Governor’s monthly media chat, tagged,Gov Alex Otti Speaks to Abians “held Thursday,at the Banquet hall, Government House, Umuahia,Otti revealed that he heard the noise the opposition party was making in the media concerning the controversial #10 billion Airport fund,that he was not interested in persecuting anybody but interested in recovering the fund and use it to build infrastructure in the State .

He maintained that he will soon make public the forensic audit report which indicted his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu, of diverting billions of state funds meant for projects to individual company accounts.

According to him” the immediate past administration transferred the N10 billion naira airport funds into 32 different company accounts before it was shared,that the money had already been transferred out of the state government account before they approached the Abia State House of Assembly for approval”

Gov Otti wondered why the immediate past governor and his aides will deny spending the fund but claimed of have use that they it for road construction,whereas verifiable evidence proved them contrary.

Continuing,Gov Otti said that the management of the company (FEROTEX Construction Company) has admitted that the company never applied to be awarded the aborted airport project under the past administration

To this end,he expressed optimism that when the report would eventually be published, the rest of the work would be handled by security agencies, insisting also that his interest is for the money to be refunded rather than taking anyone to jail.

“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.” Otti assured.

“But I can assure you that as reported by the media, it’s KPMG that did the forensic audit.

“So, clearly something went wrong. Our engagement with the company that received the money gives the impression that the company was deceived. 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. “

In a related development,Gov Otti said that his government was not bordered over the mass exodus of PDP members to APC in the state, adding that those that should be worried were the remnants of the PDP, while stressing that both members of the PDP and other political parties are joining him in the Labour Party.

“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 stated.

“Political parties are like churches, and any church that you would like to go to, you are free, am not worried because they are not leaving my party. A lot of people are also joining my party and more are on their way.” Otti said.

“Political parties are like churches ,free entry and free exit, we are not thinking about the next election it’s too early to start thinking about the next election, what is important is to give good governance to our people and they are at Liberty to support whoever they want.

“Opposition is very small and the government is the government of the majority and the most important thing is what the majority are saying, if you live in this state you will agree that there is a difference between light and darkness.”