A human rights activist and author, Comrade Paul Ikechukwu Njoku, has once again mocked the Abia State governor, Alex Otti, stating that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would once again not visit Abia State on Friday to commission any project due to overwhelming underperformance and noise-making of Abia State governor concerning projects.
Recall that Abia State government had publicized the forthcoming commissioning of projects and other critical infrastructure by President Bola Tinubu scheduled for Friday.
In a statement made available to Diaspora Digital Media, Comrade Paul said: “I have always been very critical of the Otti-led government which I view as a noise-making goverment regards imaginary and overbloated but elementary projects unworthy of presidential consumption and attention
“The governor’s invisible projects are full of unworthiness and noise-making except those of the federal government projects funded by the Bola Ahmed-led federal government in various states of the federation
“Therefore, I am reliably informing you that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has once again snubbed to visit Abia State on Friday as virally publicized by the Otti government to commission projects due to the overwhelming project underperformance, unreality and noise-making of the Abia State government concerning purported infrastructures.
“By extension, I hereby attach the below article authored by Nwokeukwu Mascot for elucidation and your reading delight, comprehension and critical understanding of Alex Otti’s government”
Tinubu Snubs Abia Again, Refuses to Canonize Otti’s Underperformance
By
Nwokeukwu Mascot
For the third time in less than two years, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declined the Abia State Government’s invitation for an official visit. While the President has been warmly received in other opposition controlled states such as Oyo, Enugu, and most recently Imo, Abia remains conspicuously missing from his presidential itinerary.
Sources within the Presidency suggest that this reluctance is deliberate, stemming from the legitimate concerns and quality of governance under Governor Alex Otti.
In Enugu, Tinubu commissioned projects of monumental scale and impact such as the 30 Smart Green Schools out of 260 under construction, 60 fully equipped Primary Healthcare Centres across 260 wards, the world-class Enugu International Conference Centre, 90 newly completed urban roads, and a cutting-edge Command and Control Centre with 150 AI-embedded patrol vehicles to boost internal security in the state.
Most recently In Imo, the President was received and he equally commissioned transformative projects like the dual carriage 52km Mbaise-Umuahia Road, the massive Control-Assumpta Twin Flyover, and the Gigantic Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre (EIICC), all landmark projects that speak to serious governance and infrastructural renewal.
And it very unfortunate that in Abia, Governor Otti has extended repeated invitations to the President to commission projects that pale in comparison, the less than 300 meters Umuatako Street, under 300 meters of Nkoro Street, and the 6.8km Port Harcourt Road in Aba christened the most expensive road project in Africa, reconstructed at a staggering ₦36.5 billion, translating to ₦6.1 billion per kilometer.
For many in Abuja, such projects hardly justify a presidential visit, especially when viewed against the scale of what Tinubu has commissioned in other states.
Adding to the Villa’s dissatisfaction are unresolved governance issues in Abia. Workers’ welfare remains in limbo, as Governor Otti still pays salaries as low as ₦29,000 despite the implemented national minimum wage of ₦70,000, while pension arrears remain unsettled and gratuities for retirees unpaid. His posture on tax reforms has also raised concerns in Abuja, where he is seen as avoiding constructive engagement despite his much-touted banking expertise.
Beyond these governance failures, the Presidency is deeply concerned about Otti’s unwillingness to acknowledge the Federal Government’s support for Abia. From institutional reforms to project funding and palliatives, Otti has consistently downplayed or ignored the administration’s role, a posture that has not gone unnoticed in Abuja. Most recently, he announced that the state was embarking on the reconstruction of the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway without giving due credit to the efforts of the Government at the center.
Further damaging is the trending scandal of the ₦72 billion allegedly spent on non existent schools projects, leaving Otti burdened with explaining the disappearance of funds and the absence of tangible results.
Meanwhile, instead of confronting these governance lapses head-on, Otti’s administration in a bid to distract Abians as the President once again declined to visit has intensified its diversionary strategy by sponsoring smear campaigns against his predecessor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who, since leaving office, has maintained a dignified silence while Otti struggles under the weight of his own promises and the legacy of landmark projects left behind.
In light of these issues, Abians should note that President Tinubu will not be coming to Abia on Friday, October 3, 2025 as publicly announced by Otti’s handlers. Instead, the state will host the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi a cousin of Governor Otti who also have vested interests in the Port Harcourt Road project. Governor Otti is fully aware of this development but chose to inform Abians on Friday morning knowing that the substitution exposes Abuja’s reluctance to endorse his record, leaving him to battle the controversies that continue to trail his administration.
Tinubu’s decision not to visit Abia is, therefore, widely seen as deliberate. By refusing to “canonize the fraud” with his presence, the President has sent a blunt message: recognition is reserved for credible governance and impactful projects, not propaganda or inflated contracts.
As the gulf between perception and performance continues to widen in Abia, the unanswered question remains, will Governor Otti rise to deliver genuine progress, or will Abia continue to be sidelined in the national reckoning for transformative leadership?.