Abia Government Refutes PDP’s Q2 Review, Slams ‘Shadow Government’ Claims and Debt Allegations

The Abia State Government has firmly rebutted the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) analysis of the state’s 2025 second-quarter budget performance, calling the opposition’s claims misleading, baseless, and driven by political motives.

In a statement issued by Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Alex Otti, the government condemned the PDP’s “Shadow Government Review” as illegitimate and incompatible with Nigeria’s presidential system. Ekeoma referenced a previous warning issued by the state in 2024 and echoed by the Federal Government, cautioning against the formation of any “shadow government.” He warned that any further efforts to revive such a structure would provoke a more decisive response.

“Political parties are entitled to function as opposition within constitutional limits, not as a disruptive force to the people,” the statement asserted.

The state government accused the PDP of misrepresenting financial data by ignoring inflation and the escalating cost of governance. It noted that the current administration inherited a system riddled with irregular salary payments and substandard wages, with many workers earning less than the ₦35,000 minimum wage.

Ekeoma highlighted that Governor Otti had proactively implemented a ₦70,000 minimum wage—before the Federal Government did—ensuring timely payment for all verified staff, including those previously regarded as “non-core” workers. The civil service workforce, he said, has grown from 30,000 under the PDP to 67,000 verified employees, in addition to 5,395 newly hired teachers.

Responding to claims that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) dropped from ₦14 billion in Q1 to ₦13.2 billion in Q2, the government clarified that revenue varies by season, with higher collections in dry months. It added that Abia’s IGR in 2022 was ₦20.1 billion annually (around ₦1.7 billion monthly), whereas the current monthly average stands at ₦4.65 billion—a more than 200% increase achieved without imposing multiple taxes or engaging in extortion.

On the ₦75 billion reportedly spent on capital projects in Q2, Ekeoma pointed to visible outcomes across multiple sectors including education, healthcare, infrastructure, stadium and airport development, security, sanitation, sports, and civil service reform. He explained that quarterly reports offer explanatory overviews rather than exhaustive breakdowns, citing the construction of 200 primary healthcare centers, 7 general hospitals, and numerous school improvements as evidence of impactful investment.

Dismissing allegations of increased debt, the government attributed the jump in the naira value of external debt—from ₦80 billion to ₦155 billion—to currency depreciation (from ₦460/$1 to ₦1,550/$1), rather than fresh borrowing. Ekeoma also accused former Finance Commissioner Obinna Oriaku of politicizing the issue for future electoral gain, asserting that most of the debts in question were accrued under PDP administrations. He clarified that loans from development initiatives like the Nigeria for Women Project, Accelerated Nutrition Fund, and RAMP remain far below the figures cited by the opposition.

Urging the PDP to move away from what it described as “wild and unfounded assertions,” the government encouraged the opposition to focus on constructive criticism that supports development. “Governor Otti will not emulate the PDP’s pattern of reckless borrowing. If borrowing becomes necessary, it will be done transparently and for the benefit of the state,” the statement concluded.