The Abia State government has criticised Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, for comparing Governor Alex Otti’s performance with his predecessors, Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu.
The government clarified that the total allocation received by Abia State and its 17 local government areas (LGAs) amounted to N125 billion, not the N304 billion claimed by Kalu.
Kalu had on Sunday alleged that FAAC allocations to Abia had risen to between N38 billion and N40 billion per month, compared with about N4 billion received by the two previous administrations before Governor Otti.
Responding, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Otti, argued that Kalu lacked understanding of economic and financial matters.
He explained that the apparent increase in project costs under Otti was influenced by exchange rate differences, as materials were purchased with foreign currency.
“Abia’s 2025 year-to-date FAAC allocation for eight months, including LGAs, stands at N125 billion.
“By contrast, Kalu’s false claim of N38 billion per month would amount to N304 billion,” Ekeoma said.
The state government also accused Kalu of an unprovoked media attack on Governor Otti, attributing it to Kalu’s undeclared governorship ambitions.
Additionally, the government highlighted that the number of core and non-core civil servants has risen from 31,000 under former Governor Ikpeazu to about 67,000 after Governor Otti’s restructuring. This figure excludes the 5,349 newly recruited teachers.