My Priority is Recovering Misappropriated N10bn Airport Funds, not Jailing anyone- Otti

Amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged misuse of N10 billion allocated for an airport project in Abia State, Governor Alex Otti has said his priority is the recovery of the missing funds, not arrests. During a media briefing on Thursday night, Governor Otti shed light on the suspicious transactions involving the funds and emphasized the need for accountability.

Governor Otti disclosed that the previous administration, under Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, diverted the allocated funds into the account of a company that had not bid for the airport project. Furthermore, the company was instructed to transfer the funds to 32 different accounts in installments.

Governor Otti affirmed that individuals involved in the irregular movement of funds would face scrutiny by law enforcement agencies. He assured the public that a comprehensive forensic audit report, conducted by KPMG, would soon be released to shed light on the matter.

Highlighting discrepancies in the previous administration’s narrative, Governor Otti challenged claims that the diverted funds were redirected to road infrastructure projects. He reiterated the imperative of locating the missing funds or demanding tangible evidence of airport construction.

Recall that in response to allegations of wrongdoing, Governor Ikpeazu’s ally and former Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, defended the allocation of funds for road projects. He cited various road infrastructure developments purportedly funded from the N10 billion, including flyovers, road expansions, and rehabilitation projects across the state.

Otti’s response partly read:

“Our engagements with the contractor that received the money gave an impression that the company was deceived. The Managing Director of the company said that he told them that he had never built an airport before; that it’s not his his area of competence, neither did he apply to them to construct an airport.

“So the people denying, the question for them is: how come money moved into an account of somebody who has said he neither sent a bid for an airport nor has he the competence to construct an airport. Of course, he will respond to security agencies.

”But according to him, the then government asked him to move the monies elsewhere. He showed us letters from the then Government to move the money in different tranches to 32 companies, and that he did that on the instruction of the former Government.

” So, like I said, the rest of the work will be done by security agencies. But what is important to our Government is: either that somebody is showing us the airport or somebody is returning our money.

“That’s what is important to us. We are not interested in the fireworks and all the abuse. We are not even interested in anybody going to jail except if they are telling us that somebody whose money is missing should not look for it. Where I come from, if your property is missing you have to look for it. So, we are looking for our money or in the alternative, our airport!”

As investigations proceed, the release of the forensic audit report will add weight to the ongoing controversy.

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