A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State and immediate-past Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Prince Paul Ikonne, has urged residents of the state to stay alert and continually demand accountability from the administration of Governor Alex Otti, especially over what he described as recurring financial inconsistencies and lack of transparency.
Prince Ikonne made the call on Monday while speaking on a monitored radio programme in Abuja, where he said he was shocked by the inclusion of ₦210 million in the Abia State budget allegedly set aside for the purchase of a photocopier, a development the state government has attributed to a “typographical error.”
The Abia State government had, in a statement by the State Ministry of Budget and Planning, debunked the claim that it budgeted ₦250 million for the purchase of a photocopier at its Lagos Liaison Office, describing the allegation as “misleading and the result of a formatting error in the 2026 budget document.”
However, Ikonne said it was troubling that an administration headed by a governor who presents himself as a seasoned banker and former bank chief executive, with a background in finance, accounting and figures, could repeatedly make such significant “errors” in official financial records.
“This is exactly how Abia money is written off. If Abians had not paid attention and raised questions, this whopping sum would have quietly disappeared,” Ikonne stated.
He questioned how a government that prides itself on being managed by technocrats could make what he called random and expensive mistakes, recalling a previous incident in which about ₦1.2 billion was reportedly described as a typographical error in the procurement of Hilux vehicles.
Prince Ikonne also raised concerns about other figures in the budget that residents may have overlooked during the two and a half years of Governor Otti’s administration, warning that the issue already exposed might represent only a portion of deeper financial irregularities.
“The Otti administration is fast gaining notoriety for financial inconsistencies, padding, and attempts to siphon the common patrimony of Ndi Abia under the guise of errors,” he said.
Ikonne expressed disbelief that ₦210 million and ₦12 million could be confused, and questioned the type of photocopier that would cost even ₦12 million. He compared the situation with business centres along Pound Road in Aba, where large volumes of documents are handled daily, noting that such centres do not use photocopiers close to that price, let alone a government liaison office with minimal paperwork.
He further accused the government of being insensitive to the state’s resources despite the huge funds being received from the Federal Government as a result of the policy of Mr President.
The APC chieftain also queried the status of the budget that had already been presented and passed, asking how the discrepancies would be addressed as implementation begins.
He also expressed concern over major projects allegedly funded with large sums, including claims that about ₦100 billion has been spent on smart schools yet to be seen, as well as the ₦7 billion recreational centre, which he said exists largely on social media.
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