By Omeiza Ajayi
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC in Abia State, Prince Paul Ikonne, has slammed Governor Alex Otti for what he characterised as his “dictatorial outburst” against a journalist during a recent media briefing.
The criticism followed an incident where the governor labelled a reporter’s inquiry into transparency and economic accountability as “irresponsible” and “stupid.”
The journalist, Chika Nwabueze, had asked the governor for verifiable evidence of his administration’s impact, stating, “Your excellency, your administration has received briefs on infrastructure projects and reforms, but critics say transparency and inclusive governance need improvement. Can you provide verifiable data showing how your policies have directly improved the standard of living of Abia people?”
In a statement by Ikonne’s media office on Sunday and signed by Chiagoziem Enoch, the former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria ACN argued that the governor’s hostile reaction indicates a troubling aversion to public scrutiny.
He praised the reporter’s professionalism, asserting that “that journalist deserves commendation, not condemnation. It takes fearlessness to demand accountability in an environment where public officials appear uncomfortable with scrutiny.”
Ikonne expressed surprise that the governor, a trained economist, failed to provide empirical evidence to back his administration’s performance.
He questioned the tangible impact of current policies on local stakeholders, asking, “As an economist, is he not supposed to have verifiable statistics and empirical data showing the impact of his government on traders in Ariaria, Abia farmers, and the unemployed across the state? Governance is not about rhetoric; it is about measurable outcomes.”
The APC chieftain challenged the state government to provide a transparent account of how federal allocations and internally generated revenue have been utilised.
He raised specific concerns regarding job creation and healthcare projects. “Have traders experienced lower taxation burdens? Are there job creation opportunities as a result of his policies? Where are the 200 health centers and how many jobs were created?”, he queried.
Linking the incident to ongoing controversies regarding the “smart school” project and recreational centre funding, Ikonne suggested that the administration is prioritising social media optics over verifiable development.
He warned that the governor’s behaviour reflects a dangerous trend, noting that “it is deeply troubling that instead of answering legitimate questions, Gov. Otti resorted to personal attacks. Such conduct mirrors dictatorial tendencies, where dissenting voices are silenced rather than engaged. In a democracy, leaders must tolerate scrutiny.”
Ikonne therefore demanded that the governor issue a formal public apology to the journalist and provide the requested data.
“No leader who believes in democratic accountability should insult a journalist or anyone for asking questions. Governor Otti must apologise immediately. His reaction was unbecoming of a public servant and dangerously reminiscent of dictatorial behaviour. Abia deserves transparency, not intimidation”, he declared.
Vanguard News
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