Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has made startling revelations, alleging that the previous administration of Okezie Ikpeazu diverted N10 billion meant for the airport into 32 different individual company accounts.
Otti added that the funds had been transferred from the state government’s account before seeking approval from the Abia State House of Assembly.
In response to Ikpeazu’s denial, he highlighted discrepancies, noting that media reports contradicted the former governor’s claims of utilizing the funds for road construction.
Otti further disclosed that FEROTEX Construction Company, allegedly involved in the diversion, never applied for the airport project under the previous administration.
Otti vowed transparency, asserting that forensic audit reports exposing Ikpeazu’s alleged misconduct would soon be made public.
He said, “The immediate past governor’s denial is not unexpected. When it was announced, they went to the media abusing the government and saying that the government lied.
“It is a report by KPMG which says that they diverted the money into roads. In the bank statement on the 26th of September 2020 when people were dealing with COVID-19, a debit went into the state account for N10 billion and it was payment for an 80 per cent contract of the Abia airport.
“It’s true and incontrovertible. The statement is there, the report is there. By the way, the report will be published very soon.
“But I can assure you that as reported by the media, it’s KPMG that did the forensic audit.
“So, clearly, something went wrong. Our engagement with the company that received the money gives the 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 and that it is not his area of competence neither did he apply to them to construct an airport.”
