On the 23rd of August 2024, a Former Abia State Commissioner for Finance, Obinna Oriaku while assessing the Alex Otti led-government, wrote thus:
“I also noticed that the much trumpeted Osisioma/ Ekeakpara road is mere audio award.
I saw that little or no job is currently going on by the contractor.
Before now, Okezie Ikpeazu had done one section of the dualized road from Osisioma junction to Sir Adaelu’s junction which is like 200 meters . I discovered yesterday being 21st of August 2024 that the road is still on same spot after all the noise of that road being awarded for reconstruction. I quickly called one of the management team of Willangy Construction Ltd having known the company from my days at Enugu. They confirmed that this present administration has not paid a kobo to them since they were re-awarded that road over 4 months ago .
I ask , why owe a contractor on such strategic road . I feel it will be gratifying to see that road in use with the burial of Sir Adaelu in sight and considering the economic importance of that road which we cant over emphasize. I ask again, Why owe such a contractor with current enhanced allocation”.
I wouldn’t want to disturb the reading public with any response on what he claimed Ikpeazu did on the road as that would amount to reminding Abians of the gloomy years of jokes and locust, my task here is to prove that he lies with unbelievable audacity.
Don’t forget that earlier this year, he claimed that Governor Alex Otti had secretly borrowed 145 billion naira when the Governor had not borrowed a dime. Till this moment, he hasn’t produced the documents he threatened to produce to substantiate his false and misleading claims. The PDP boys that helped him propagate that lie have not bothered to ask him about the documents.
Back to the main issue. Prior to the date Oriaku made his post, the Contractor had since been paid the sum of 206.750 million Naira being the value of the work they had done. See attached document. This was in line with the agreement the Contractor signed with the state government, which was that they would be paid every time they get to a certain stage.
The government had made it clear before the agreement was signed that it was not ready to enter into advanced payment arrangement. The Contractor excitedly agreed and made it clear that they had the resources and capacity to execute and get paid. Don’t forget that it was the Contractor that was earlier awarded the road by the Ikpeazu led-government, but it was abandoned. The government could have engaged another contractor, but decided to retain the contractor after they showed their willingness to do the job, and new contractual agreement was entered into.
Attached here is a document which showed the Contractor requesting for Advanced Payment through Advanced Payment Guarantee (APG) after the initial payment mentioned above. In the letter as can be seen here, the Contractor acknowledged the receipt of the 206.750 million Naira, which had since been paid before Oriaku told his lie. However, his request which was not in tandem with the contractual agreement entered into with the government was declined by the Governor and the Ministry of Works subsequently communicated to him.
The questions begging for answers are:
1. Why would a former Commisisoner for Finance intentionally lie to mislead the public and misrepresent the government on a subjec tmatter that is verifiable?
2. Could it be that he didn’t speak with the Contractors but intentionally dropped their name in a bid to give credibility to his lie?
3. Having known the Contractors during Ikpeazu’s tenure, could it be that there’s an existing Agbata Ekee kind of relationship between the duo which necessitated his action?
4. Could it also be he was hired by the Contractors to blackmail the government and stampede the government to release money to the contractors for job not done?
5. Has this penchant by Mr. Oriaku to repeatedly lie with swag not explained why Abia Civil Servants and pensioners detested him for lying against them repeatedly about payment of salary and pension when they were in charge?
Whatever Mr. Oriaku’s intentions may have been for that dishonourable display, it’s important to remind him that the present Governor of Abia State is called Alex Otti and not Okezie Ikpeazu. No Contractor and their agents can dribble him. No contractor can abandon a job paid for by Abia State government and no contractor will be in a position to run away with Abia funds.
I understand that there was this inglorious Slogan associated with the government Oriaku served which says that “Approval abughi payment” which was explained to mean that people were being given deceitful approvals reckleasly with the intention of not getting them paid. In the present government, Approval mbu Payment, because there must be a justification before approval is given.
I understand that Obinna Oriaku wants to stay politically relevant because of his future political ambition, but adopting this Gutter strategy of telling barefaced lies against the government, is both defeatist, dishonourable and destructive, hence the need for him to turn a new leaf and embrace the ways of the Lord.
Ferdinand Ekeoma
Special Adviser to the Governor
(Media and Publicity)
October 6, 2024.
