Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has dismissed claims that his administration is at loggerheads with his predecessors, following concerns over the condition of the Okezuo Abia Flyover at Osisioma Ngwa.
Otti, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the state government had no interest in discrediting the former governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who oversaw the construction of the flyover.
The statement followed reports that a section of the flyover, located along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, had developed a pothole, prompting motorists to avoid one of the lanes.
The government said it had taken note of the condition of the flyover and was putting measures in place to carry out a lasting intervention.
Ekeoma said the administration had ignored claims that it deliberately abandoned the flyover to embarrass Ikpeazu, describing such narratives as politically motivated.
He said the assumption that Otti was engaged in a political battle with his predecessors was “a facade created by some idle persons” seeking to advance their political and economic interests.
According to him, the state government had identified “serious integrity issues” surrounding the flyover and would take appropriate action where necessary.
“The government is not interested in any narrative aimed at painting any individual or government black; however, the government will not hesitate to ask serious questions and take necessary actions to correct whatever was wrongly done, if need be,” the statement said.
Ekeoma added that Otti believed government was a continuum and had demonstrated this by completing abandoned projects as well as rebuilding or remodelling projects considered to have been poorly executed.
He recalled that shortly after Otti assumed office, the governor rejected a suggestion to refer to the structure simply as the Osisioma Flyover, insisting that it should retain the name “Okezuo Abia Flyover” given to it by the administration that constructed it.
According to Ekeoma, Otti had said at the time: “We are not interested in erasing anyone’s legacy, so we cannot call it by a name different from what the man that built it named it.”
He further disclosed that in 2024, he accompanied the Commissioner for Works and other engineers to inspect the flyover after signs of possible structural failure were observed.
Ekeoma said the inspection identified some errors but concluded that they did not pose an immediate serious threat. He added that remedial work was subsequently carried out, with the ministry promising to continue monitoring the structure.
The latest statement said the government remained focused on addressing any structural concerns with the flyover rather than engaging in political arguments over its ownership or legacy.
The development comes amid continuing political disagreements in Abia over the performance and legacy of successive administrations, although the Otti government has maintained that its approach is to preserve useful projects while addressing identified deficiencies.
