The Abia State Government has faulted remarks credited to former APGA governorship aspirant, Chief Chikwendu Udensi, on the state of governance, describing them as “ignorant, mischievous, and laden with falsehood.”
Chief Udensi, in a statement marking Abia’s 34th anniversary, had questioned the cost of the ₦36 billion Port Harcourt Road project handled by Julius Berger, alleged mismanagement of ₦54 billion in school renovation funds, and accused Governor Alex Otti of running what he called a “one-man show” administration.
But reacting on Tuesday, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, dismissed Udensi’s claims as baseless and politically motivated.
Ekeoma explained that contrary to Udensi’s claim of 5.7km, the Port Harcourt Road project is a 6.7km dual carriageway, each side measuring 11.1 metres, making a total road width of 22.2 metres (six lanes).
“When multiplied by three lanes, the project covers 20.1km in road measurement. Dividing the ₦36 billion cost by this gives about ₦1.8 billion per kilometre, which is justifiable considering Julius Berger’s quality of work,” the statement read.
He added that Port Harcourt Road was once “a slum of sorrow with refuse heaps as high as 24 feet, trees and grasses taking over, and decades of neglect,” stressing that Julius Berger’s drainage work alone exceeds what is found in most Nigerian cities.
The government also dismissed claims of missing funds in the education sector, insisting that all expenditures are subject to auditing and that achievements in school renovation and educational development “are visible, verifiable, and heartwarming.”
Responding to Udensi’s accusation that Governor Otti runs a “one-man show,” Ekeoma maintained that the governor has one of the most consultative and inclusive styles of governance in Nigeria.
He noted that Otti chairs weekly Executive Council meetings, monthly expanded Exco meetings involving all appointees and permanent secretaries, and has created agencies such as the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) and the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA) to decentralize governance.
“For the first time since 1999, engineers, architects, surveyors, and town planners in state ministries are being fully engaged in government projects,” Ekeoma said.
Ekeoma further accused Udensi of seeking cheap political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections, alleging that his criticism has become a regular pastime whenever he visits Abia from Abuja.
He recalled that Udensi “came a distant fourth” in the last APGA governorship primaries, describing him as a “stone-age coupist” for declaring himself winner midway into the process.
“Opposition should not be reduced to a joke. Appearing on radio stations to spew mischief cannot advance his political ambitions,” Ekeoma concluded.
