The Abia State Government has taken a swipe at Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for spreading false, baseless, and misleading rumours over the reconstruction of the Ohafia-Arochukwu federal road in the state.
It all started during the flagging off of the project.
That day, Governor Alex Otti 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.
But guess what?
Orji Kalu begged to differ.
Kalu faulted Otti for not giving credit to the efforts of the Federal Government-funded Petroleum Trust Fund on the road.
Orji Kalu Vs Abia State
He lamented that Governor Otti did not recognise his (Kalu’s) legislative efforts.
To him, it was these efforts that led to the construction of certain kilometers of the road.
However, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Otti, Ferdinand Ekeoma, replied the senator via a statement.
Furthermore, in that statement, the Abia State government queried Kalu’s claims.
Ekeoma, who said that Governor Otti is not dragging who attracted what, stated that the people are alive to see and give their verdict.
False Claims
The statement read: “Senator Kalu’s claims are false, baseless, unfounded, and misleading.
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“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 misleadin.
It was obviously made to massage his ego and reduce the criticisms trailing him.
“The criticism is 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?”
