Why I opposed Abia’s quest for $200 million loan, decamped to LP, by Otti

Abia State governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr. Alex Otti, yesterday, disclosed why he opposed and stopped the state government’s application and quest for a $200 million loan from the African Development Bank in 2015 despite that the then National Assembly reportedly approved it.

Otti, who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in both 2015 and 2019 elections, disclosed this to The Guardian at his country home at Umuaro, in Isiala Ngwa South Council, explaining why he left the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Labour Party (LP).

Otti alleged that, in seeking the loan, the state government falsified documents, and did not seek approval of the then state House of Assembly. He added that the state lacked capacity to repay the loan considering it had other outstanding unpaid debts.

There were conflicting reasons why the loan was being applied for. While the Speaker of the then state House of Assembly reportedly said it was to be used for infrastructure development, a government source said it was meant to settle workers’ salary arrears, which was put at about N6 billion.

Asked if he was against governments applying for and securing loans, including foreign ones, Otti said that if elected governor he might seek loans when the need arises, noting that such loans will be used for the purpose it is secured for, and not diverted or misappropriated.

He accused the state government of being intolerant to other political parties in the state, alleging that their billboards have been pulled down on flimsy reasons, and that use of government facilities for their political activities is being denied them.

According to him, the amended Electoral Act, as well as the successful conduct of elections in Ekiti and Osun states indicated that the 2023 elections would likely produce acceptable results.

Explaining why he left the APC and joined LP, Otti said: “I found that the APC was not ready to conduct free and transparent primaries. From secret document I uncovered, I got to know that the governorship candidacy was already designated.”