A former political ally of Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Prof. Moses A. Orji, has publicly urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reject an invitation to commission a 6.5-kilometre road project in Aba, describing the move as a publicity stunt by an underperforming administration.
President Tinubu is reportedly scheduled to visit Abia on May 23 to inaugurate the rebuilt Port Harcourt Road, a project completed under Governor Otti’s leadership.
But in a scathing open letter released Tuesday, May 20, Orji questioned the rationale behind bringing the President to commission a single project.
“In which state in the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the president gone to commission just a single completed project, and nothing more?” Orji asked.
“Why would Mr. President go to Enugu state to inaugurate seven different key projects, and then be invited to commission just one in Abia?”
Orji accused the Otti-led administration of running a government based on “propaganda and brinkmanship,” claiming that major initiatives such as the proposed Owazza Integrated Industrial Park, including flagged-off seaports, fertiliser plants, and refineries, have not progressed beyond announcements.
He also raised concerns about uncompleted or missing infrastructure, such as the N7 billion “Recreational Facilities” project, and the state’s ongoing pension debt.
“We are the only state in the South East still owing pensioners their arrears,” he noted.
Referring to a previous attempt to involve Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in commissioning a minor road project near a private residence, Orji warned against what he described as efforts to deceive the public and federal authorities with token achievements.
“It could even be in the personal interest of Governor Otti that the President doesn’t come now,” Orji suggested. “Perhaps Otti needs time to put his house in order.”
The open letter signals deepening political tensions in Abia, as critics question the Otti administration’s record and motivations ahead of the high-profile presidential visit.