UMUAHIA — The governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP) in Abia State, Major General Ijioma Nwokoro Ijioma (retd.), has challenged Governor Alex Otti over the reported N150 million signage fee imposed on governorship candidates ahead of the 2027 election.

Ijioma described the fee as excessive and alleged that it could restrict political participation and create an uneven playing field ahead of the poll.

Speaking at a press conference in Umuahia, the APP candidate said the reported charges were N150 million for governorship candidates, N100 million for senatorial candidates, N50 million for House of Representatives candidates and N20 million for State House of Assembly candidates.

He challenged the state government to produce the law or legislative instrument authorising the charges, alleging that the Abia State House of Assembly had not passed legislation approving them.

“I want to make it clear here and now that that very policy is condemnable. I condemn it in its totality and it will not stand,” he said.

Ijioma alleged that the policy was an attempt to restrict political participation in the state and vowed to resist it.

“I have done my research concerning this signage something. It wasn’t an Act of Parliament. The Abia State House of Assembly never passed any law concerning this. So it is illegal for the governor to sit down and want to shut out the political space in Abia, and we will resist it vehemently,” he said.

He also questioned the reported increase in the signage fee, alleging that Otti paid N10 million when he contested the governorship election in 2023.

“How can somebody who paid a paltry N10 million for the same signage fee come and say it will be N150 million in 2027?” he asked.

‘Nobody owns Abia’

Ijioma warned against using public office to restrict political participation, arguing that Abia belonged to its people rather than any individual or administration.

“Nobody that is a governor owns the state. You are holding the reins on behalf of the people and you cannot get there and begin to lord it over the people. It is reprehensible,” he said.

He said the APP would seek judicial intervention if the government failed to reverse the policy.

“If he doesn’t heed to caution, this party that I’m holding the governorship ticket of will take the government of Abia State to court to show us the Act of Parliament that empowered it to bring such an obnoxious and vexatious policy to scuttle democracy in Abia State,” he said.

Challenges Otti’s performance claims

The retired general also questioned what he described as the publicity surrounding the achievements of the Otti administration.

While acknowledging that Otti had performed better than some previous administrations in certain areas, he argued that the government’s media publicity had gone beyond its actual performance.

“Yes, Alex Otti has performed better than the previous government in some areas. You wouldn’t deny him that. But the hype in the media far outstrips the performance and the reality on the ground,” he said.

Ijioma said he would outperform Otti if elected governor in 2027 and promised to run an administration focused on transparency, accountability and the welfare of residents.

“I’m a much better alternative. I maintain it, that I will outperform the Otti administration when I am elected next year,” he said.

“I will run a government that will feel the impact of its policies on the people that they are governing.”

Demands account of FAAC allocations

The APP candidate also called on the state government to account for federal allocations received by Abia since Otti assumed office in May 2023.

Ijioma alleged that the state had received more than N1 trillion in Federation Account allocations between May 2023 and June 2026.

He further claimed that Abia’s 17 local government areas had collectively received more than N178 billion in direct allocations during the same period.

According to him, the figures were compiled from data published by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), and he challenged anyone disputing them to verify the figures.

“From my records, which I compiled, Abia State, for months, earned as much as N26 billion a month. I have the computation here. It’s not typed. I compiled it from Federation Account allocation,” he said.

“So if you go to the website, from May 2023 that this government came on board to June 2026, just two months ago, Abia has earned well over N1 trillion as Federation Account allocation.”

Ijioma also alleged that the 17 local governments had received substantial allocations but claimed the funds had not been adequately released to the councils.

“The 17 local governments of Abia State have been given direct allocation of over N178 billion. To them, the governor has not released as much as N100 million to any of the local governments,” he alleged.

“From my computation, the 17 local governments, none of them has earned anything less than N350 million monthly.”

He questioned the state of infrastructure at local government headquarters and demanded accountability for funds allocated to the councils.

“Go to the local government headquarters. Where is the fund meant for the local government?” he asked.

Ijioma promised that his administration would ensure that local governments received and properly utilised funds due to them if elected, arguing that the impact of government should be most visible at the grassroots.

Commissioner dismisses allegations

Reacting to the allegations, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, dismissed Ijioma’s claims as “blind and mischievous” and challenged him to provide evidence.

Nwachukwu said the allegations were inconsistent with what he described as visible infrastructural and agricultural interventions being implemented across the state’s 17 local government areas.

“He that is alleging, is the burden of proof not on him? Let him show evidences of his obviously blind and mischievous claims,” the commissioner said.

“Is it not a clear fact that Local Government Councils since this administration have outperformed all other administrations in terms of infrastructural and agricultural interventions in their areas?”

He maintained that the Otti administration had restored functionality to the local government system, with councils now implementing projects and interventions in their communities.

The commissioner challenged Ijioma to identify any specific local government where the administration’s claims of improved performance were not supported by visible projects.

Questions N100bn IGR

Ijioma also demanded an account of Abia’s internally generated revenue, alleging that the state had generated more than N100 billion since Otti assumed office.

“From my records here, Abia State so far has earned well over N100 billion from internally generated revenue. What is the government doing with this money? What has the government done with this money?” he asked.

He called for an explanation of how the state’s internally generated revenue and federal allocations had translated into infrastructure and other tangible benefits for residents.

Seeks details of smart schools project

The APP candidate further questioned the reported expenditure and procurement process for the state government’s smart schools programme.

He noted that the administration had announced plans to establish 21 smart secondary schools but demanded details of the contracts and implementation process.

“I think three years is enough for us to see 21 smart secondary schools which they announced. And by the way, where is the contract award for those 21 smart schools? Who bid for them?” he asked.

Ijioma said the government should disclose project costs, contract awards and relevant procurement details.

Proposes fuel relief scheme

The APP candidate also proposed a state-backed fuel relief programme to cushion residents from the impact of petrol prices.

He suggested that part of the state’s oil-related revenue could be used to subsidise fuel for residents.

“If we are getting N2 billion every month from the oil we earn, is it too much to pull back N1 billion of that to give some sort of subsidy to the people of Abia State? A thinking government and an empathic government will do this,” he said.

Ijioma said his proposed administration would prioritise transparent and responsive governance, with particular attention to oil-producing communities in Ukwa.

He explained that his choice of a deputy governorship candidate from Ukwa West was deliberate, arguing that the area had experienced neglect over the years.

“I am very deliberate concerning anything that has to do with Abia. I’m somebody that wants to spread development, that nobody will feel that he is left out,” he said.

“I am reintegrating the whole of Ukwa into the mainstream of Abia politics. That was why I made that deliberate choice.”