By TINA TIMOTHY

Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) Nigeria has urged the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, to make public all records bordering on alleged contract and procurement scam including a “non-existent airport” by former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

FENRAD, in a press statement on Friday, April 26, 2024 signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor and Head Human Rights Enforcement & Litigation, Barr. Femisi Akande, also called on Otti to, not only expose the wrath but to make it accessible to all Abians, who are “the actual owners of the patrimony and looted commonwealth”.

The statement reads: “A few days ago, Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, a human and environmental rights-focused civil society group in Abia State, saw in the news allegations bordering on contract and procurement scam, including on non-existent airport, preferred against former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu by his successor, the incumbent, Gov. Alex Otti, from far away America. FENRAD also obtained, listened and analysed the audio content wherein the allegations were made.

“While it is right, even ideally so, that the governor exposes wrath in any governance sector, accountability demands that such wrath be made accessible to all Abians, the actual owner of the patrimony and looted commonwealth, as has been alleged. Therefore, the need for accountability is the major driver of FENRAD’s intervention in the said contract racket matter.

“It is a common axiom, especially, within our evidence law system, that one who asserts must prove, ‘incumbit probatio qui dicit non qui negat.’ So in this regard, the onus probandi, being the burden of proof, lies with the governor to prove his assertion by publishing reports from the forensic auditing firm whose services were engaged by the state, as the governor stated.

“What is at issue is a serious one which every right-thinking Abian would want to hear the last of, beyond gimmicks or an attempt to outflank political adversaries. The Foundation considers the allegations timely and welcomes it in this regard. Having stated this, it is to be understood that weighty allegations like this, coming from the Governor himself, not his aides or handlers, should not be treated as mere waggish expressions or frivolousness, but rather as the official position of the state government.”

Reacting to news reports about non-existent contracts and airport worth billions of naira, the group urged Otti to expose all financial misdeeds and misdemeanours wherever he sees them, adding that “proof of the allegations, if made public, will go a long way in inculcating financial discipline in the public accounting sector of the state and serve as reference for future purposes” as well as expose the rot in Abia finance before Gov. Otti.

The statement continues: ”From all available news sources, the Governor said his predecessor wasted ₦107bn on contracts that never existed, including ₦10bn on Abia airport which never took off. FENRAD has equally read the response from the representatives of the last administration, but will not be dwelling much on that as a politically neutral civil society group. The response remains what it is, but proof of the allegations, if made public, will go a long way in inculcating financial discipline in the public accounting sector of the state and serve as reference for future purposes. The Foundation is aware that previously, Abia had been badly governed, with issues like bloated public debt portfolio heaped upon Gov. Otti’s shoulder upon inauguration, it is for this that it only makes sense that Gov. Otti exposes all financial misdeeds and misdemeanours wherever he sees them.

“To the Foundation’s knowledge, contract records are captured in state appropriations – budgets – with the awardee(s) named, including possible date of completion, how payments are to be made, and which money deposit bank (MDB) is to process and facilitate payments. Again, in procurement, tenders are usually advertised in at least three or so national dailies to reach a wider audience of bidders. Even in cases where non-competitive tendering occurs, making only one firm to be prequalified, records are also kept for the public. Releasing the documents will, in addition to exposing the rot in Abia finance before Gov. Otti, enable Abians who feel marginalised to file a case of misappropriation against the last administration, since there is nowhere in its appropriation the airport was captured as a budget heading.”

While describing the past Abia administration as wicked, if the allegations about financial impropriety are true, FENRAD further called on Otti to make financial disclosure, concerning these contracts and also an investigation into “all of these claims, and see to it that all persons named and fingered are made to face the law, if found guilty,” adding that Nigerians have the democratic freedoms to enquire and access information on public issues.

“Abia has an official website where public-sector tenders could be listed, but there is no available record of such yet, not even on the state official website. What this means is that, if the allegations are true, the past administration exhibited sheer wickedness on Abians. It is also appropriate that the governor empanels an independent commission, involving both parties (auditor and auditee) to investigate all of these claims, and see to it that all persons named and fingered are made to face the law, if found guilty. In light of this, the Foundation calls on Gov. Otti to initiate the process of having anti-graft agencies take the matter up, armed with the audited report details. Until this is done, former Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu remains innocent before the law (except otherwise proven in a court of law).

“Lastly, Nigeria operates a democracy where freedoms are allowed citizens, including that to enquire and access information on public issues. We call on Gov. Otti to make financial disclosure, concerning these contracts, by releasing all supporting documents in the interest of public accountability.

“Abians need to know everything about this airport and other contract rackets, including names of awardees, amount and date of award. It is their right,” FENRAD added.

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