APC Chieftain Calls for Visa Ban on Abia Governor

A petition has been submitted to several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and France, requesting that they impose visa restrictions on Abia State Governor Alex Otti. The petition was filed by Eze Chikamnayo, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and a legal practitioner, who also serves as convener of the Abia Best Interest Association.

Chikamnayo alleges that the governor’s administration has failed to provide evidence of how N54 billion was spent on renovating public schools in the state. He told a press conference in Abuja that the governor and his officials have not produced empirical proof of the 51 “smart schools” for which the funds were allocated. Instead, they have resorted to diversionary tactics, citing the Abia Universal Basic Education Board’s classroom projects—executed with federal‑government counterpart funding—as separate from the state’s smart‑school projects.

The petitioner argues that the failure to publish details of the smart‑public‑school projects—such as the list of schools, locations, contractors and photographs—indicates systemic corruption and a lack of transparency in governance. He notes that the expenditure recorded in the state government’s budget performance reports differs from other financial inflows recorded under the Universal Basic Education Commission and federal intervention programmes.

Chikamnayo’s petition to the international community, which includes Germany, China, Australia, Canada, Britain, Switzerland, the European Union and the African Union, requests that these entities deny Governor Otti a visa. He hopes that preventing the governor from traveling abroad will compel him to address the questions surrounding the alleged mismanagement of funds.

The petition highlights concerns about transparency and accountability in the Abia State government, particularly regarding the allocation of funds for public projects. While the international community’s response remains uncertain, the case underscores the need for governments to be transparent in their financial dealings and to provide accountability to their citizens. As the situation unfolds, increased scrutiny of Abia State’s handling of public funds and its commitment to good governance is likely.