Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti, has leveled scathing allegations against his predecessor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
Otti alleged that a forensic audit uncovered the diversion of N10 billion allocated for the Abia airport project.
He said the immediate past administration transferred the N10 billion airport funds into 32 different company accounts before it was shared, adding that the money had already been transferred out of the government account before they approached the Abia State House of Assembly for approval.
The governor was offering more clarification on the auditing during his monthly media chat, tagged “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians” held at the Government House in Umuahia.
According to Otti, the audit by KPMG – a multinational professional services firm – revealed that the funds were transferred into 32 different company accounts before being dispersed.
He further alleges that the transfer occurred in September 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Otti insisted that the Abia State House of Assembly did not approve the disbursement.
“It’s true and incontrovertible. The statement is there; the report is there. By the way, the report will be published very soon.
“But I can assure you that as reported by the media, it’s KPMG that did the forensic audit.
“So clearly, something went wrong. Our engagement with the company that received the money gives the impression that the company was deceived.
“The Managing Director of the company said he told them that he had never built an airport before and that, it is not his area of competence neither did he apply to them to construct an airport,” Governor Otti added.
