The Abia State Government has accused Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of spreading false, baseless, and misleading rumours over the reconstruction of the Ohafia-Arochukwu federal road in Abia State.
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understands that while flagging off the project, Governor Alex Otti had accused past administrations of using the road as a political tool.
Otti claimed that since its construction in the 1960s by the Michael Okpara administration, the road was neglected by successive administrations, causing it to deteriorate.
However, Kalu faulted Otti for not giving credit to the efforts of the Federal Government-funded Petroleum Trust Fund on the road.
Kalu further lamented that Governor Otti did not recognize his (Kalu’s) legislative efforts, which led to the construction of certain kilometers of the road.
Replying the senator via a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Abia State government queried Kalu’s claims that through his efforts as a Senator, former President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the release of funds to reconstruct the road, leaving only 14.5 kilometers.
Ekeoma, who said that Governor Otti is not dragging who attracted what, stated that the people are alive to see and give their verdict.
He alleged that Kalu’s media team was trying to cover the criticism trailing the Senator for abandoning major roads in Abia North and for allegedly building substandard roads throughout his eight-year tenure as Governor.
According to him, “Senator Kalu’s claims are false, baseless, unfounded, and misleading. Unlike the initial 35-kilometer length that was awarded and abandoned, which was meant to terminate midway into Arochukwu, the present road awarded and flagged off by Governor Otti is a 41.4-kilometer road billed to terminate at the Abia boundary with Akwa Ibom.
“The claim by Senator Kalu’s media team is misleading and was obviously made to massage his ego and reduce the criticisms trailing him for abandoning major roads in Abia North and other parts of the state throughout his eight-year tenure as Governor, while he continues to use questionable construction companies to build very substandard roads attracted by him through the NDDC as a Senator.
“If the road was built as claimed by Senator Kalu, why do many indigenes of Abia North and other Abians, including Senator Kalu himself, often access Arochukwu and Ohafia from Akwa Ibom State?”
