A policy and legislative governance expert, Ambassador Chibuzo Okereke, has commended Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, for institutionalising a monthly media engagement platform, describing it as a model for accountability and participatory democracy in Nigeria.

In a press release issued in Abuja, Okereke said the governor’s decision to sustain an open-door media forum, the Abia Monthly Media Chat, reflects a deliberate commitment to transparency, public scrutiny and responsible governance.

He noted that the initiative aligns with the principles of the Open Government Partnership by creating a structured channel for citizens and journalists to interrogate public policy and governance actions.

According to him, the forum has evolved into what he described as an “accountability benchmark,” providing citizens with direct insight into government programmes while enabling the media to engage leadership in real time without pre-screened questions.

“Platforms of this nature strengthen democratic culture and deepen public trust in leadership and institutions,” he said.

He added that such engagements contrast with tightly scripted media interactions common in political environments.

Okereke’s intervention followed controversy surrounding a question posed by a representative of Don Media Group during the February 2026 edition of the Abia People, Governance and Development Media Chat.

He argued that the incident should be understood within the framework of professional journalism rather than political mischief.

While acknowledging that criticism is essential in a democracy, the expert said the journalist demonstrated weaknesses in question framing and lacked analytical grounding.

“The issue was not the act of asking a critical question,” he said. “Rather, the concern lay in lack of specificity, absence of policy focus, no baseline data reference, no measurable impact parameters and contradictory framing of a basic impact question.”

Okereke described Governor Otti as a globally acclaimed development and investment banker capable of responding to policy questions at any time, noting that the governor’s intellectual background and professional record are well documented.

He further argued that it was intellectually inconsistent for a journalist to acknowledge that a governor is “doing a lot,” reference vague opposition concerns, and then demand precise socio-economic impact data without identifying a specific policy under evaluation.

“That approach shifts inquiry from evidence-based questioning to conjecture,” he said.

Responding to public reactions to the governor’s response during the session, Okereke said the governor’s visible displeasure should not be interpreted as hostility toward scrutiny but as a demand for intellectual rigour.

He maintained that high-level accountability platforms require preparation, evidence and clarity, noting that leaders who value excellence naturally expect well-structured engagement.