An All Progressives Congress (APC) support group in Abia State has called on foreign governments and international bodies to impose a visa ban on Governor Alex Otti over what it described as questionable spending of N54 billion on school renovation projects.
The Abia Interest Association (A.B.I.A) said it has written to the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, as well as the European Union and the African Union, demanding that the governor be denied visas until his administration accounts for the funds.
At a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s convener, Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, alleged that the state government failed to provide clear evidence of the “51 smart schools” said to have been financed with N54 billion in the last quarter of 2024.
Instead, he claimed, “the governor and his officials… resorted to another diversionary tactic of misleading the unsuspecting public to believe that ASUBEB classroom projects being executed with Federal Government counterpart funding are the same with the smart schools projects.”
Chikamnayo further alleged that “the failure or refusal to publish the list, location, contractors and pictures of the purported Smart Public School Projects for which over ₦78 billion has now been spent between the 2nd quarter of 2023 and third quarter of 2025 is a clear indication of systemic corruption, impunity, lack of transparency and accountability in governance.”
The group noted that despite earlier petitions to anti-graft agencies, many schools across Abia remain in “severe neglect,” with dilapidated structures, broken fences, and inadequate learning facilities.
“These troubling realities stand in stark contrast to the said expenditure recorded in the State Government Budget Performance Reports which, as we earlier observed, is different from other financial inflows recorded under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and various Federal Intervention Programs,” the group said.
The association listed its next steps, including lobbying international organizations and engaging anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC.
“1.Write the Government of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany China, Australia, Canada, Britain Switzerland, The European Union and Africa Union to deny Mr Alex Otti Visa to the United States of America and the aforementioned countries in order to halt his frequent travels to the United States to enable him address the serious questions regarding the whereabouts of these funds and the lack of transparency and accountability in his government.
“Continue to engage with the Nigerian anti-corruption bodies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Finance, World Bank, Transparency International and other relevant institutions.
“Already we have writing official letter to the above bodies and other international organization that specialized in basic Education demanding urgent intervention to rescue the State from any attempt by Mr Alex Otti from using Education as a conduit pipe for miss appropriation of Public Funds.”
It also accused the Labour Party-led administration of “claiming federal roads being done by the state for reimbursement as his projects.”
Warning that corruption in the education sector “robs future generations of their dignity, opportunities, and rights,” the group insisted that Governor Otti must be held accountable.
“This sordid situation also undermines and violates the rights of Abia children to quality education as guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights instruments,” it said.
“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.”
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