Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has directed the unsealing of the Renewed Hope Partner office belonging to Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

The development was confirmed in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku, who clarified that the action was in line with directives from the governor and not politically motivated.

According to Njoku, the sealing was part of a broader exercise targeting properties in default of statutory obligations:

“The Deputy Speaker brought the matter to the Governor’s attention. The unsealing was promptly executed pending the regularisation of the building’s documentation.
“The property was originally sealed by the state Harmonised Task Force as part of a blanket enforcement of court orders. This was not politically motivated; it was part of a general exercise addressing properties in default of statutory obligations.”

The state government explained that the main issue involved ground rent, which has been outstanding since 1982, with the lease set to expire on December 31, 2025.

“The property owner did not respond to demand notices requesting proof of payment of ground rent and other related charges. A court order was subsequently obtained for the sealing after evidence of notice service was provided,” Njoku added.

Other properties unsealed under the exercise include those belonging to the late Sam Mbakwe family, a radio station, and a property in use by a government agency.