Abia: APC chieftain drags Otti to EFCC, ICPC over N54bn school renovation funds

An All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain in Abia State, Eze Chikamnayo, has dragged Governor Alex Otti to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over the controversial N54 billion meant for school renovation in the state.

Chikamnayo disclosed this while speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

Apart from the EFCC and ICPC, Chikamnayo also asked the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Transparency International, and the World Bank to investigate the N54 billion budgeted for school renovation.

He said the failure or refusal to publish the list, location, contractors and pictures of the purported 51 public school projects for which over N54 billion was spent between the first and fourth quarters of 2024 by Alex Otti’s administration is indicative of systemic corruption.

According to him, it is alarming that despite such huge allocations and disbursements, and with almost two years gone, there is no single new smart school project anywhere in Abia state, as widely reported by the government.

“Furthermore, our fact-finding visits to many public schools in Abia State indicate that over 95 percent of them remain in a state of severe neglect—with dilapidated buildings, unfenced compounds, and an absence of learning and teaching equipment.

“These troubling realities stand in stark contrast to the said expenditure recorded in the State Government Budget Performance Report, which is different from other financial inflows recorded under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and various Federal Intervention Programmes.”

While calling on all anti-graft agencies and groups, civil society organisations and leaders of thought to demand accountability from Alex Otti’s administration, the group said, “Already, we have written official letters to the above bodies and other international organisations that specialise in basic education, demanding urgent intervention to rescue the state from any attempt by Mr Alex Otti to use education as a conduit pipe for misappropriation of public funds.

“In the interest of Abia State, Abia children and generations yet unborn, we have dragged the state government, under the Alex Otti-led administration, to all relevant anti-corruption agencies, locally and internationally.

“We have also written to the National Assembly, UNESCO, the World Bank, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Education, and indeed watchdogs like Transparency International, Amnesty International and others for urgent intervention and sanctions where necessary.

“It is our hope that you will join us in our tireless work in promoting transparency and fighting corruption by lending your voice, platform and influence to ensure that justice is served and accountability is enforced in the governance of Abia State.”