N210m photocopier budget: Abia money would’ve disappeared – Ikonne criticises Gov Otti

The immediate-past executive secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority has called on Abians to hold Governor Alex Otti’s administration accountable over claims of financial inconsistencies.
Ikonne, who is an All Progressives Congress chieftain in the state, made this call in a statement on Monday.

Recall that controversy had trailed the inclusion of N210 million in the Abia State 2026 budget allegedly for the purchase of a photocopier.

However, the Abia State government cleared the air when it said that the budgeted amount was a “typographical error.”
Reacting, Ikonne said an administration led by a governor who prides himself on being a seasoned banker and former bank chief executive, with a lifetime background in finance, accounting, and figures, would repeatedly commit such grave “errors” in public financial documents.

“This is exactly how Abia money is written off. If Abians had not paid attention and raised questions, this whopping sum would have quietly disappeared,” Ikonne stated.

“The Otti administration is fast gaining notoriety for financial inconsistencies, padding, and attempts to siphon the common patrimony of Ndi Abia under the guise of errors,” he said.

He further reiterated concerns over the controversial N100 billion and N7 billion spent on smart schools and recreational centers, respectively, which he described as existing largely on social media.