Abia LG Crisis: Outrage in Abia as councillors reject ₦240,000 pay despite ₦12bn monthly allocations | #NwokeukwuMascot

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A fresh wave of anger is sweeping through Abia State’s 17 local government councils as elected councillors have openly revolted against what they describe as “demeaning and insulting” treatment by Governor Alex Otti’s administration. Despite councils receiving a staggering ₦12 billion in monthly allocations, councillors say they are left to “wallow in poverty” with a take-home pay of just ₦240,000.

Figures from the August 2025 allocation show that Aba South alone pocketed about ₦805 million, while the least allocation stood at about ₦615 million. Yet, the elected lawmakers at the grassroots who ought to serve as the closest link to the people say their monthly earnings cannot even cover basic transportation costs, let alone community engagement or welfare responsibilities.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Leader of Osisioma Council, Hon. Victor Ngwakwe of Osokwa Ward 6, expressed his grievance over Abia state government for “relegating councillors to mere observers” in the governance of their own councils.

“We are elected representatives, not political errand boys. How can a councillor survive on ₦240,000 when billions are flowing into our councils? This is nothing but deliberate suppression,” Ngwakwe declared.

The frustration has reached boiling point, forcing some council chairmen to intervene as tempers flared during closed-door sessions. But for many councillors, the intervention is “too little, too late,” as they insist that one year into their tenure, they have been rendered useless by a government that centralized every function of the local system.

Councillors also pointed to what they called “total ignorance” by Governor Otti, who had built his campaign around the promise of granting full autonomy to local governments. Instead, they argue, Otti’s government has taken tighter control of grassroots finances than even his predecessors.

“It is shameful that a government which took pages in newspapers to accuse past administrations of hijacking council funds has now turned around to commit the same crime, even worse. Under Ikpeazu, councillors were respected, well-paid, and principal officers had official vehicles. Today, we are treated like beggars,” one aggrieved councillor fumed.

Quoting President Bola Tinubu’s call on governors to “water the grassroots,” the councillors mocked Otti’s administration, saying: “In Abia today, one man is watering his compound while the rest of the grass across 17 LGAs is left to wither and die.”

The revolt, analysts say, is the clearest sign yet of growing discontent within the local government system under Otti’s watch, exposing deep cracks in his much-touted “New Abia” project.