The South East Good Governance Advocates (SEGGA) has issued a strong rebuke to supporters of Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, urging them to cease their baseless attacks on former Governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
The group, in a statement issued on Wednesday, signed by Mark Onukwuwe, Coordinator, and Anozie Madu, Secretary, made this call in response to a false and malicious social media report claiming that a high court in Abia State had sentenced Dr Ikpeazu to death for embezzling over N5 trillion in funds meant for airport and light railway construction.
“For the sake of clarity, it is pertinent to note that there is no judicial officer by the name Chukwuemeka Nwogu serving in the Abia State judiciary, which raises significant doubts about the authenticity of the alleged Court Judgment.
Furthermore, Nigerian jurisprudence does not classify corruption offences as capital crimes warranting the death penalty. This purported claim appears to be an egregious fabrication, likely propagated in social media, seeking to besmirch the reputation of the esteemed Abia State Judiciary,” the statement reads.
This report is not only entirely fabricated but also a blatant attempt to distract the public from the glaring failures of the current administration. Under Governor Otti’s leadership, several high-profile projects, including the N54 billion smart school project, N6.5 billion recreation centre, and N4 billion ICT centre, have vanished without a trace. The people of Abia State deserve transparency and accountability, not diversionary tactics.
The group emphasised that Abia State did not attract up to N1 trillion in revenue during Ikeazu’s eight-year tenure as governor, making the N5 trillion embezzlement claim unfounded.
A simple arithmetic calculation reveals the absurdity of the claims against Dr Ikpeazu. If Abia State were to attract N4 billion monthly, that would amount to N48 billion annually, and N480 billion over ten years. Where is the evidence to support the claim of N5 trillion in embezzlement? We challenge Governor Otti and his supporters to produce credible documentation. This fictitious report is a clear example of reckless journalism and malicious prosecution.
SEGGA called on Governor Otti and his supporters to focus on addressing the challenges facing Abia State rather than engaging in baseless attacks on their predecessors.
The statement reads in part: “The South East Good Governance Advocates (SEGGA) is compelled to address a recent social media report claiming that a High Court in Abia State sentenced former Governor Okezie Ikeazu to death for embezzling over N5 trillion in airport and light railway construction funds. This report is entirely false and an affront to the rule of law.
“For the sake of clarity, it is pertinent to note that there is no Judge (judicial officer) by the name Emeka Nwogu serving in the Abia State judiciary, which raises significant doubts about the authenticity of the alleged court judgment.
Furthermore, Nigerian jurisprudence does not classify corruption offences as capital crimes warranting the death penalty. This purported claim appears to be an egregious fabrication, likely propagated by social media operatives seeking to besmirch the reputation of the esteemed Abia State Judiciary.
“We challenge Governor Otti and his supporters to provide evidence of any such court judgment. In the absence of such evidence, we urge them to refrain from spreading misinformation that could incite public unrest.
“The facts of the matter are clear: Abia State did not attract up to N1 trillion in revenue during Ikeazu’s eight-year tenure as governor. How, then, could he have embezzled N5 trillion?
The arithmetic does not add up. This claim is a blatant fabrication designed to tarnish the reputation of a former governor who served his state with dedication and integrity.
“Rather than engaging in baseless attacks on their predecessors, we urge Governor Otti and his administration to focus on addressing the challenges facing Abia State. The people of Abia are more concerned about the N54 billion smart school project, the N6.5 billion recreation centre, and the N4 billion ICT centre which are nowhere to be found.
“We urge the public to disregard the false report and demand accountability from their elected officials. The people of Abia deserve better governance, and it is time for Governor Otti and his administration to deliver.”
