UMUAHIA, Nigeria — The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), a civil society organization focused on human and environmental rights, has called on Dr Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, to disclose all records relating to alleged fraudulent contracts under his predecessor, including a non-existent airport project.
The controversy began when Gov. Otti, from America, accused former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of squandering ₦107 billion on fictitious contracts, including ₦10 billion on an airport project that never materialised.
These allegations, based on the governor’s claims during a recorded speech, have not yet been substantiated with public evidence, prompting FENRAD’s intervention.
“Accountability demands that such wrath be made accessible to all Abians, the actual owner of the patrimony and looted commonwealth, as has been alleged,” stated Comrade Nelson Nwafor, Executive Director of FENRAD wrote in an emailed statement to The Trent on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
The group emphasises the legal axiom “incumbit probatio qui dicit non qui negat” (the burden of proof lies with the one who declares, not the one who denies), urging Gov. Otti to prove his claims by publishing the forensic audit reports commissioned by the state.
The allegations are seen as a test of the state government’s commitment to transparency and accountability, especially given Abia’s history of governance issues and a bloated public debt portfolio that the new governor inherited.
“Weighty allegations like this, coming from the governor himself, should not be treated as mere waggish expressions or frivolousness, but rather as the official position of the state government,” added Nwafor.
FENRAD has noted the absence of public records on the state’s official website regarding the airport project and other tenders, which raises questions about the previous administration’s handling of public funds.
The organization is calling for an independent commission to investigate these claims thoroughly and for the involvement of anti-graft agencies.
In response to these allegations, representatives from the former governor’s administration have issued statements, but FENRAD remains focused on obtaining concrete evidence rather than engaging in political discourse.
As the situation develops, the people of Abia State await the governor’s next steps in ensuring that all documents related to these allegations are released, upholding the democratic values of transparency and accountability.
The indigenes of Abia State have the right to know the details of the contracts, including awardees, amounts, and dates of award, etc, is not just a matter of public interest but a fundamental aspect of their rights as citizens.
