Gov Otti, Kalu camps war over $263.8m loan

By Steve Oko

The governmental rift betwixt Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has deepened arsenic the state’s Chief Liaison Officer to the National Assembly, Chief Iheanyi Chinasa, berated Kalu implicit his caller comments connected a $263.8 cardinal indebtedness installation obtained by the authorities government.

The installation was secured for the Abia State Integrated Infrastructural Development Project ABSIID, an inaugural aimed astatine accelerating infrastructure improvement crossed the state.

According to Chinasa, the recognition installation came from a consortium of 3 banks — Islamic Development Bank ($125 million), African Development Bank (AfDB) ($100 million), and Canada–Africa Development Bank ($15 million) — with Abia State Government contributing $23.8 cardinal arsenic counterpart funding.

Chinasa, who hails from the aforesaid constituency arsenic the Deputy Speaker, accused Kalu of “crying wolf wherever determination is none,” stressing that the authorities has not drawn a azygous kobo from the facility.

“These funds are inactive with the banks. The authorities has not drawn a azygous kobo from them arsenic I speak. This accusation is successful the nationalist domain for anyone to verify,” helium stated.

He faulted the Deputy Speaker for allegedly peddling “false narratives” to discredit Governor Otti’s medication and described his remarks arsenic politically motivated.

“Why does the Deputy Speaker similar to misinform the public? Is this desperation to make contention oregon to contiguous himself arsenic being persecuted for the President’s sake?” Chinasa queried.

He said it was “shocking” for Kalu to request results from a indebtedness that had yet to beryllium disbursed, accusing him of attempting to blackmail the authorities authorities astatine each opportunity.

Chinasa advised Kalu to absorption connected representing Bende Federal Constituency efficaciously and to “stop his unprovoked attacks against Governor Otti.”

“If helium thinks helium has the popularity and capableness to vie with Governor Otti, helium should hold for 2027 and contest,” Chinasa added.

He maintained that Governor Otti had performed creditably with disposable resources and deserved commendation, not criticism.

The hostility betwixt some camps escalated aft Kalu precocious claimed that developments successful Abia State were not commensurate with the funds accruing to the state, adding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should beryllium praised for expanding national allocations pursuing the removal of substance subsidy.

The station Gov Otti, Kalu camps warfare implicit $263.8m loan appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.