Obinna Oriaku: A Betrayer of His People, Seeking Redemption Through Lies – Ferdinand Ekeoma Fires Back

Governor Otti’s aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, exposes Obinna Oriaku’s lies about the 19.1km road project, highlighting alleged internal fraud under the previous administration and Oriaku’s betrayal of the people of Isialangwa South.

In a heated response to comments made by former Commissioner for Finance, Obinna Oriaku, Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, has branded Oriaku a self-serving manipulator, accusing him of inciting sectional disaffection through blatant falsehoods. Ekeoma’s response comes in light of Oriaku’s comments regarding the recent flag-off of the 19.1km pilot road project by Governor Otti. The road, which spans several communities in Obingwa and Isialangwa South LGAs, has been a subject of controversy, with Oriaku questioning the current administration’s contribution.

In his critique, Obinna Oriaku claimed that the current administration had no financial input in the project, asserting that the project was initiated in 2016 under the previous government and funded through World Bank grants. He also accused the Otti administration of neglecting certain regions of the state, specifically the Governor’s local government area of Isialangwa South.

In a strongly worded response, Ekeoma refuted these claims, accusing Oriaku of dishonesty and sectional manipulation. He raised key posers to highlight the contradictions in Oriaku’s statements:

Lack of Accountability in Previous Government: Obinna Oriaku admitted that the project suffered from several challenges but failed to disclose the alleged internal fraud and mismanagement under the Ikpeazu-led administration. Ekeoma questioned why Oriaku and his colleagues, who were in power for eight years, failed to bring the project to fruition despite paying N300 million as a counterpart fund. What was done about the mismanagement, and who was held accountable?

Internal Mismanagement and Mis-procurement: Ekeoma pointed out that the project was stalled for eight years due to serious issues, including the front-loading of over ₦40 million for design review, mis-procurement in the contractor selection, and failure to follow due process in the signing of a ₦4.6 billion contract. These actions led to the World Bank declaring the project a “mis-procurement.”

Current Government’s Efforts: Contrary to Oriaku’s claims, Ekeoma clarified that the Otti administration has paid N600 million as counterpart funding for the project, with an outstanding N2.6 billion yet to be paid. This financial commitment, alongside the confidence the World Bank now places in Governor Otti, has revived the project.

Failure to Empower Isialangwa South: Ekeoma also criticized Oriaku for his failure to empower the people of Isialangwa South, despite holding significant influence in the previous government. Instead of fostering development, Oriaku and his allies allegedly kept the youths impoverished, using them for political gains, while women were relegated to praise-singing for politicians.

Ekeoma concluded his statement by accusing Obinna Oriaku of seeking redemption through lies, attempting to gain cheap popularity and forgiveness from the people of Isialangwa South. He emphasized that Governor Otti’s administration remains focused on serving all Abians, without resorting to sectional politics.