2025 Q2 Report: Abia PDP is Playing Opposition Like a Joke - Alex Otti's Media Adviser Slams Critics

Umuahia, Abia State - The Abia State Government has fired back at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over what it described as "outlandish, misleading and maliciousÔÇØ claims contained in the opposition party's so-called "Shadow Government ReviewÔÇØ of the state's 2025 second-quarter performance.

In a strongly-worded statement issued by Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity, the government dismissed the PDP's entire report as an "embarrassing display of ignorance, propaganda, and selective amnesiaÔÇØ.

Ekeoma began by lampooning the PDP's self-proclaimed shadow government, stressing that such a structure has no place in Nigeria's presidential system and had been warned against both by the Abia State Government and the Federal Government.

"A political party has all the institutional organs to function responsibly without becoming a nuisance to the people,ÔÇØ he said, warning that any further attempt to operate such a pseudo-government would attract "a more fierce responseÔÇØ.

On Salaries and Welfare of Civil Servants

The statement tore into PDP's allegations of fiscal mismanagement, revealing that under the previous administration, Abia was the only state that refused to implement the 35,000 minimum wage agreed between the Federal Government and organised labour. Civil servants were earning as low as 30,000 and were often left unpaid for months.

By contrast, Ekeoma said Governor Otti was one of the first governors in Nigeria to implement the 70,000 minimum wage and consequential adjustments, "paying salaries religiously on or before the 28th of every month.

The aide revealed that the number of verified civil servants now stands at 67,000 (excluding over 5,395 newly recruited teachers) compared to the 30,000 figure claimed by the PDP in 2022, a disparity caused by the previous administration's classification of thousands as "non-coreÔÇØ staff who were denied full pay.

On IGR Performance

Reacting to PDP's claim that the state's Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) dropped from 14 billion in Q1 to 13.2 billion in Q2, Ekeoma explained that revenue collection is seasonally affected, with better results in the dry season.

He pointed out that Abia's IGR has grown by over 200% in two years - from 20.1 billion annually in 2022 (less than 1.7 billion per month) to 4.65 billion monthly in 2025 without double taxation or extortion.

On Capital Projects

The aide mocked PDP's demand for itemised capital expenditure reports, saying 75 billion spent in Q2 alone is visibly reflected in ongoing projects across education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, waste management, sports, and civil service reforms.

"If the PDP is asking such a question in a state where 200 Primary Health Centres, 7 General Hospitals, and massive road projects are underway, then they have intentionally refused to acknowledge the truth visible to everyone,ÔÇØ he stated.

On External Debt

Perhaps the harshest words came when addressing PDP's claim of a 75 billion increase in external debt. Ekeoma accused the party of parroting misinformation from former finance commissioner Obinna Oriaku, calling it "wicked and dishonourable to suggest the Otti administration borrowed the money.

He explained that the rise from 80 billion to 155 billion was purely due to naira depreciation from 460/$1 to about 1,550/$1, affecting the value of debts incurred by PDP's own government.

Final Shot at PDP

Ekeoma ended by accusing the PDP of "playing opposition like a jokeÔÇØ, saying their focus seems to be media relevance ahead of the 2027 elections rather than credible governance critique.

"Governor Alex Otti will never copy PDP's reckless borrowing style, and whenever he chooses to borrow, it will be strictly for the state's development,ÔÇØ he vowed.