Abia State Governor Alex Otti has rejected claims that his administration is deliberately targeting his predecessors, following controversy over the condition of the Okezuo Abia Flyover in Osisioma Ngwa.
The governor’s position was contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, in response to criticism surrounding the government’s handling of the flyover.
The controversy centres on a portion of the flyover built during the administration of former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, where a pothole reportedly developed and caused motorists to avoid one of the lanes.
In Brief
- Alex Otti has rejected the suggestion that his administration is engaged in a political war with previous Abia governments.
- The controversy followed concerns over the condition of the Okezuo Abia Flyover at Osisioma Ngwa.
- The governor’s media aide said the state government had taken note of what it described as integrity concerns surrounding the structure.
- The government said it was putting measures in place for a lasting intervention.
- Otti maintained that his administration was not interested in erasing the legacy of previous governments.
Otti Rejects Claims Of Political Retaliation
The governor’s response followed narratives suggesting that his administration had deliberately left the Okezuo Abia Flyover unattended in order to embarrass or discredit the administration that constructed it.
Otti rejected that interpretation, describing the suggestion of a political war between his administration and previous governments as a facade.
The statement said the governor’s position was that the government was not motivated by pettiness or an attempt to undermine the legacy of an earlier administration.
According to the statement, Otti said:
“This government is not petty.”
He also rejected the suggestion that the government’s handling of the flyover was intended to humiliate the former governor who built it.
The statement described such an interpretation as a political narrative being advanced by critics.
Abia Government Explains Its Position On The Flyover
The controversy arose after a portion of the Okezuo Abia Flyover developed a pothole, reportedly leading motorists to avoid one of its lanes.
The state government said it had taken note of the condition of the structure and was putting measures in place to address the situation.
Rather than describing the matter solely as a dispute involving previous administrations, the governor’s statement focused on what it called the need to examine the integrity of the infrastructure and take corrective action where necessary.
The statement said:
“The government has since taken note of the serious integrity issues surrounding the flyover and, as usual, is putting measures in place to make a lasting intervention.”
The government also maintained that it was not interested in painting any individual or previous administration in a negative light.
However, it said it would ask questions and take appropriate action if it found that aspects of the project had been wrongly executed.
Why The Flyover Became A Political Issue
The flyover was constructed during the administration of Okezie Ikpeazu, and the government’s handling of the structure has subsequently become part of a wider political narrative.
According to the statement issued on Otti’s behalf, critics interpreted the government’s response as evidence that the present administration wanted to discredit the former governor.
Otti’s administration rejected that interpretation.
The statement also stressed that the government regarded governance as a continuing process rather than an opportunity to erase the achievements or identity of previous administrations.
This position was illustrated with an example involving the name of the flyover.
Otti Insisted On Preserving The Flyover’s Original Name
The statement recalled an incident during a State Executive Council meeting shortly after Otti assumed office.
According to the account, a commissioner referred to the structure as the Osisioma Flyover while discussing efforts to improve the surroundings of the area.
Otti reportedly interrupted the commissioner and asked that the structure be referred to by its original name, Okezuo Abia Flyover.
The governor was quoted as saying:
“We are not interested in erasing anyone’s legacy.”
The statement presented the incident as an example of what it described as Otti’s approach to projects inherited from previous administrations.
It said the governor’s position was that projects should not be renamed or rebranded simply because they were initiated by a former government.
Government Had Earlier Inspected The Structure
The statement also provided an account of an earlier inspection of the flyover.
According to the governor’s media aide, Otti visited the project in 2024 alongside the Commissioner for Works after signs of failure were observed on the structure.
The commissioner was described as having extensive experience from the Federal Ministry of Works and as having served as Federal Controller and Executive Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency before retirement.
Other engineers from the ministry were also said to have participated in the inspection.
The statement said the inspection produced several observations.
According to the account, the commissioner later reported that although there were some errors, they did not pose what he considered a serious threat at the time.
Work was subsequently carried out on the structure, while the ministry reportedly promised to continue monitoring it.
The government said it did not publicly attack the administration that built the flyover during that period.
Otti Says His Government Does Not Erase Previous Legacies
The governor’s statement linked the flyover controversy to a broader explanation of how his administration approaches projects inherited from earlier governments.
It said Otti had demonstrated a belief that government is a continuum, including through the completion of abandoned projects and the rebuilding or remodelling of projects that were considered poorly constructed.
That position is central to the governor’s rejection of the alleged political-war narrative.
The statement argued that identifying problems with an inherited project should not automatically be interpreted as an attempt to discredit the administration that initiated it.
Instead, the government said its responsibility was to examine projects, address problems and protect public resources.
Current Situation
The immediate issue remains the condition of the Okezuo Abia Flyover and the Abia Government’s stated intention to intervene.
The government says it has taken note of concerns surrounding the structure and is working toward a lasting solution.
At the same time, Alex Otti has rejected the political interpretation that his administration deliberately neglected the flyover because it was associated with Okezie Ikpeazu.
The supplied statement does not establish that Ikpeazu himself made the allegations being addressed by Otti. The reported dispute is instead presented through the governor’s response to narratives attributed to critics.
What The Dispute Means
The controversy combines an infrastructure concern with a political argument about how the current Abia administration relates to projects inherited from previous governments.
On the infrastructure side, the government says the flyover has issues that require attention.
On the political side, Otti is rejecting the interpretation that addressing those issues is part of an effort to undermine his predecessors.
The two questions therefore remain distinct: what needs to be done to the flyover, and how should the government’s intervention be interpreted politically?
The material supplied for this report establishes the government’s position but does not provide an independent technical assessment of the flyover or a direct response from Ikpeazu.
Final Editorial Wrap-Up
The controversy surrounding the Okezuo Abia Flyover has developed beyond the condition of the infrastructure itself, with questions also being raised about the political interpretation of the Abia Government’s response.
Governor Alex Otti has rejected the suggestion that his administration is deliberately targeting projects associated with previous governments or seeking to erase their legacies.
The government, meanwhile, says it has identified concerns with the flyover and is taking steps toward a lasting intervention.
For now, the two issues remain connected but distinct: the physical condition of the infrastructure and the political interpretation attached to the government’s response. The supplied material establishes Otti’s position and the government’s account of its previous inspection and proposed intervention, but does not provide an independent technical assessment or a direct response from Okezie Ikpeazu.
Gossip News Now will continue to distinguish between documented government actions, political allegations and responses as further developments emerge.
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