A heated war of words has erupted in Abia State, plunging the media landscape into chaos as loyalists of former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and present Governor Alex Otti lock horns over the alleged $5 million investment in Geometric Power.
The dispute centers on claims by Ikpeazu’s allies, including John Okiyi Kalu, Onyebuchi Ememanka, Enyinnaya Appolos, Chinonye Mba, and Don Ubani, asserting that Ikpeazu’s administration secured a 5% stake in Geometrics Power, worth a staggering $5 million.
MUK TV recalls that the controversy surrounding the alleged investment began when the owner of Geometric, Prof. Barth Nnaji, denied during one of his press interviews in the lead-up to the commissioning of the power plant that the state made any payment for an equity stake in the company.
However, according to the Ikpeazu camp, the investment was made with Abia State funds during the former governor’s tenure, and they demand recognition for their alleged pivotal role in the power project.
In a fiery rebuttal, Governor Otti’s media aides, including Ferdinand Ekeoma and Dodoh Okafor, vehemently denied the existence of any documented evidence of such an investment, accusing Ikpeazu’s camp of spreading falsehoods and engaging in orchestrated attacks against Otti’s administration, as reported by Magic FM.
The showdown intensifies as both sides trade blows, with Ekeoma slamming Ikpeazu’s team for what he describes as “primitive propaganda” and attempts at “image laundering” for their former boss.
Governor Otti, intervening in the escalating conflict, expressed skepticism over the alleged investment, stating that no official documents were handed over to his administration.
Despite acknowledging Ikpeazu’s involvement in Geometric’s loan agreement, Otti remains unconvinced of the purported equity investment.
As tensions escalate, Governor Otti vows to investigate the matter further, directing his finance commissioner and accountant general to delve into the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Geometric Power company, which stands at the center of the storm, is yet to provide any clear-cut clarity amidst the raging controversy.
Though the company, through Nnaji, has reportedly written to Otti, acknowledging that Ikpeazu’s government made a partial payment to Geometric.
