By Mayowa Oladeji
Dr. Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, has made serious allegations against his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu, claiming that the previous administration transferred N10 billion earmarked for airport development into 32 different company accounts before disbursing the funds. Otti stated that this transfer took place before the funds were approved by the Abia State House of Assembly.
During his monthly media chat, “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” held at Government House in Umuahia, the governor provided further clarification on the findings from an audit conducted by KPMG, a multinational professional services firm. He revealed that the funds were transferred in September 2020, coinciding with the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s true and incontrovertible. The statement is there, the report is there. By the way, the report will be published very soon,” Otti stated. He emphasized that the forensic audit clearly indicated irregularities in the handling of the funds.
Otti further noted that interactions with the company that received the funds suggested it had been misled. The Managing Director of the company allegedly stated that he had never built an airport and had not applied for the project. “Clearly, something went wrong,” Otti concluded.
