Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has criticised the performance of the current governor, Alex Otti, saying he is yet to see any tangible achievements since the administration assumed office.
Kalu made the remarks during a recent interaction with journalists, where he alleged that Governor Otti’s visible projects are limited to repainting roads constructed during his own tenure as governor. According to him, the present government has not initiated or completed any major infrastructure projects in the state.
“I have not seen anything Alex Otti has done as governor. What I see is repainting of roads that I built when I was governor,” Kalu said.
The former governor, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also complained that he has been subjected to criticism and insults because of his party affiliation. He added that despite political differences, he played a role in Otti’s emergence as governor in the 2023 elections.
However, Kalu ruled out offering similar support ahead of the 2027 general elections, stating that he and his political allies would instead work for the APC in the state.
Kalu further alleged that the amount of funds allocated to Abia State within Governor Otti’s first four months in office was comparable to what his administration received over an eight-year period. He maintained that, despite this, he has not observed the construction of new major roads under the current government.
His claims, however, contrast with widely circulated accounts of Abia State’s condition prior to Otti’s inauguration. Numerous reports and public commentaries have described the state as suffering from severe infrastructural decay between 1999 and 2023, with many roads reportedly becoming impassable.
Several major roads, including Port Harcourt Road, Omuma Road and Obohia Road, were often described by residents as death traps, a situation that allegedly led to the abandonment of properties in affected areas. There were also persistent complaints of salary arrears, with civil servants said to have been owed up to eight months’ pay before the current administration took office.
Governor Otti’s government has repeatedly defended its performance, insisting that it inherited a state with deep structural and financial challenges and is focused on gradual but sustainable reforms.