Saying Ikpeazu left nothing for Otti is wrong, says Iroha
Mr Ikechukwu Iroja, a former media aide to the immediate past governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, says it is wrong for Governor Alex Otti to say that the former governor left only debts without any cash or near-cash assets behind.
Iroha said his decision to speak out was personal and also to put the record straight.
According to him, at the time of Ikpeazu’s exit from office, the state was not owing any commercial bank including temporary overdrafts, adding that Ikpeazu paid off all.
He said, “Abia State under the watch of Dr Ikpeazu invested $5,000,000 in Geometric Power Company. That’s a near-cash asset.
“As of Friday, 9th June 2023, the state received N24 billion through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum as part of a total of N48bn standing to the credit of the state. The money was earned under the watch of Dr Ikpeazu.”
Iroha said Ikpeazu’s administration perfected a $50m World Bank facility at a 0.06% interest rate with 10 years repayment moratorium for the construction of more than 500km roads, including extremely dilapidated Port Harcourt Road, Aba.
He added, “The implication is that the current administration can commence drawing down on that facility from day one to construct critical roads in Abia State and will not have to repay the money over the pendency of its tenure, assuming it is up to eight years.
“African Development Bank facility of $200m processed by the Ikpeazu administration is also ready for the new administration to access for construction of rural roads.”
Iroha said that while the Ikpeazu administration governed over the state for most of May 2023, it is the current administration that would receive the FAAC allocation for that month.
He said that similar to the above, internally generated revenue for the month of May 2023 is also available to the new administration.
“Prior to the exit of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu from office, Abia State Government and the office of the accountant general of the federation reconciled their accounts with N6billion standing to the credit of the state.
“What that also says is that the Ikpeazu administration was not owing the Federal Government but rather it was FG that owed the state. The current administration has access to that additional fund of N6b.
“While we are still expecting the new administration to give the detailed composition of the alleged debts left behind by the Ikpeazu administration, it is safe to say that they are mostly long-term development facilities, contractor debts and possibly outstanding payments to pensioners and salary earners.
“It is my candid view that the new administration in the state can smoothly take off and service state liabilities with what it has without screaming or yelling,” Iroha added.
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