National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Chibuzor Alli
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has challenged Governor Alex Otti to provide evidence to back up his claim that the previous PDP administration in the state left behind a N90 billion debt to contractors.
In an open letter signed by the state party chairman, Elder Abraham Amah, the PDP expressed surprise over the governor’s claim, stating that the party was unaware of such a debt.
The letter, addressed to Governor Otti, reads: “Dear Governor Otti, I hope this letter finds you in good health. The attention of Abia PDP has been drawn to recent claims you made about a N90 billion debt owed to contractors in the state, which you allege was incurred by the previous PDP-led administration.
“Let it be clear, the Abia PDP is not aware of the existence of such a debt. It would be in the best interest of Abians if you could provide the records and evidence to support your claim.
“We are deeply concerned by your statement that such a large sum has been paid to settle debts that, as far as we know, lack verifiable documentation or due process. A figure of this magnitude should be subject to immediate scrutiny. We urge you to provide clarity on how this amount was calculated and the basis for the payments made.
“For transparency and accountability, it is crucial that you disclose the names of the individuals and companies who received these payments. The people of Abia deserve to know who benefited from these financial transactions, as this will help build public trust in your administration and its financial management.
“Furthermore, the speculation surrounding these payments has raised concerns among our people. With reports that your administration allegedly transferred N90 billion to Signature Bank, we call on you to reassure the public of the legitimacy and integrity of these transactions. Our citizens need to have confidence in their leaders, and such confidence cannot be established without clear and open communication.
“It is also troubling that despite previous assurances on spending and project funding, there now seems to be a contradiction. We urge you to act swiftly and provide clarity on these matters to restore transparency and reinforce your commitment to accountable governance.
“We await your prompt response to these serious issues and look forward to your engagement in addressing these concerns for the good of our state.”
