Otti’s Handlers Fail in Attempt to Claim Ikpeazu’s Ariaria Market Project as Abians Flood Social Media with Evidence | #NwokeukwuMascot

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The latest attempt by aides and supporters of Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to claim credit for the reconstruction of the Ariaria International Market has backfired, as Abians flood social media with overwhelming evidence showing that the project was conceived, executed, and commissioned by the immediate past administration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

This comes amid growing public demand for the Otti administration to substantiate what it has achieved with over ₦1.4 trillion reportedly received in both federal allocations and internally generated revenue within just two years.

Opposition figures and civic commentators have consistently accused the Labour Party-led government of being “high on propaganda and low on substance,” citing several alleged non-existent projects including a ₦72 billion smart school project, ₦64 billion purportedly spent on research and development, and ₦6.5 billion reportedly expended on a recreational facility that cannot be traced.

The current uproar began when Mr. Ubani Dannie, a staunch ally of Governor Otti, posted before-and-after photos of the Ariaria Market on Facebook, claiming it was a product of the current administration’s effort. In the post, Ubani mocked the former PDP government, suggesting the market’s transformation only began under Otti, Ubani wrote: “Finally, the evidence of how Gov. Alex Otti embezzles and mismanages Abia State resources surfaces.

“The two pictures here capture the condition of Ariaria International Market before the coming of Gov. Otti and under Gov. Otti.

“In picture 1 is Ariaria Int’l Market before 29th May 2023 under the ‘prudent’ PDPig Government of Gov. Ikpeazu, while picture 2 captures the state of the same market under the ‘profligate and thieving’ Government of Gov. Alex Otti. Evidence, they say, is the end of argument.”

However, his claims were swiftly dispelled by factual evidence shared by Abia residents, journalists, and officials who worked under the Ikpeazu administration. The evidence included dated photos, videos, and official records showing that the market was completed and commissioned before May 2023, long before Governor Otti assumed office.

Several Abians, including former critics of Ikpeazu, condemned what they described as “a calculated campaign of deceit” aimed at erasing the achievements of the former governor.

Social media users accused Otti’s camp of “glory hunting,” arguing that the administration is desperately seeking achievements to showcase amid growing scrutiny over its spending transparency and project delivery record.

The controversy took another turn when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly failed to honor Governor Alex Otti’s third invitation to Abia State to commission projects. Opposition voices argued that the President’s repeated snub reflects the perceived lack of substantial or worthy projects that can match what he had previously commissioned in states like Enugu, Anambra, and Imo.

Critics say the President’s decision has further exposed what they describe as “the emptiness behind Otti’s media-driven governance,” which they claim prioritizes optics over tangible development.

Adding weight to the conversation, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, recently cautioned against comparing the current administration with its predecessor, noting that Governor Otti receives over ₦38 billion monthly, compared to Dr. Ikpeazu’s ₦3.5 billion monthly allocation during his tenure.

Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, emphasized that the state government should focus on delivering impactful projects that will benefit Abians, rather than engaging in endless propaganda or political score-settling.

“It is not fair to compare Dr. Alex Otti’s administration that receives over ₦38 billion monthly allocation with that of his predecessor who received ₦3.5 billion monthly,” Kalu said, stressing the need for the governor to “focus on tangible projects that improve the lives of the people.”

Interestingly, the public defense of Dr. Ikpeazu’s legacy did not come solely from his loyalists. Former critics, including Engineer Eke O. Ako, a UK-based good governance advocate, openly rebuked Otti’s supporters for attempting to distort facts, stated in a lengthy Facebook post that it was both “wicked and dishonest” for anyone to deny the former governor’s developmental strides.

He wrote: “The truth is that I owe no apologies to Ex-Governor Ikpeazu for holding him accountable for eight years. I stand by all I did during his tenure. I am only proud of all I did.

“Having said that, I decided to put the records straight about Ikpeazu as I see a campaign of calumny to erase all he did and give credit to Otti’s regime for his works.

“I read where someone was giving Governor Otti credit for Ariaria International Market remodeling. I can confirm that it is Ikpeazu’s project, though not funded by the state government but initiated by him in partnership with a developer, Eckleen. Otti played no role here, and Abia Government has no dime in this project.

“Let’s learn to give credit to whom credit is due. Karma is real!”

Engineer Ako went on to list several road projects completed under Ikpeazu, including Faulks, Osusu, Samek, Okigwe, Brass, Umuola, and MCC roads, among others, noting that those roads restored commercial activities in Aba after decades of neglect.

Adding weight to the rebuttal, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, former Abia State Commissioner for Information and later Commissioner for Trade and Investment, released pictorial and video evidence from the market’s commissioning ceremony, describing Otti’s media team as “indolent glory hunters.”

In a detailed post titled “Remodeling of Ariaria International Market Aba: Ignore Indolent Glory Hunters,” Okiyi wrote:

“Everything positive you see today at A-Line of Ariaria International Market is a product of HE Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu’s signature, hard work, and political will to positively change the story of Aba and Abia State. Those of us who worked under him merely interpreted his lofty visions.

“Governor Alex Otti is yet to add one block to the Ariaria market remodeling effort. When he does, I hope to be the first to say so because I believe government is a continuum and only an insane leader destroys the lofty projects of his predecessors.

“Ignore the futile attempts of Otti’s supporters, paid skit makers, and aides to claim glory for what they did not do. They know their oga is yet to demonstrate leadership capacity of the kind that changes the destiny of a people.”

Okiyi reminded Abians that under Ikpeazu, all the major access roads leading to Ariaria Market including Faulks, Osusu, Samek, Brass, Okigwe, and Aba-Owerri roads were rebuilt, facilitating trade and movement in the city.

He further challenged Otti’s aides to show visible progress on the long-abandoned Ekeoha Market project, asking whether it had become “dead on arrival.”

He concluded: “Hopefully, Governor Otti will one day do something that qualifies as a legacy for his vuvuzelas to trumpet without being called to order with evidence. That should teach them to give due credit to others to avoid carrying a needless curse.”

The incident has rekindled debates about political propaganda, continuity in governance, and accountability in project ownership in Abia State. Many observers note that the trend of successive administrations attempting to erase or hijack the legacies of their predecessors not only distorts historical records but also undermines public trust.

For now, the evidence presented by both citizens and officials who served under Dr. Ikpeazu appears to have completely discredited the attempt to attribute the Ariaria International Market project to the current administration leaving Otti’s camp on the defensive amid mounting public scrutiny.