US, UK, China, Others Told to Issue Travel Ban on Top Southeast Governor
- The APC-backed Abia Interest Association has petitioned foreign governments to impose visa bans on Governor Alex Otti
- The association alleged that over ₦78 billion in public funding was spent between 2023–2025 without transparency
- It urged the US, UK, EU, AU, and others to restrict Governor Otti due to his allegedly misrepresenting federal projects
An All Progressives Congress (APC) support group known as the Abia Interest Association (A.B.I.A) has petitioned foreign governments to impose a visa ban on Governor Alex Otti.
In a statement sighted by Legit.ng, on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the association raised alarm over the governor's alleged mismanagement of public funds.
Source: UGC
The group said it had written to the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, the European Union, and the African Union, demanding restrictions until Otti accounts for billions of naira reportedly spent on school projects.
N54bn allegedly mismanaged on Abia school projects
Speaking in Abuja, the group’s convener, Barrister Eze Chikamnayo, alleged that Otti’s administration had failed to provide proof of the ₦54 billion claimed to have been spent on renovating 51 smart schools in 2024.
“Rather than producing evidence, the governor has sought to confuse the public by presenting federal ASUBEB projects as the same as the smart schools,” Chikamnayo said.
Abia group accuses government of diversion
He further alleged that over ₦78 billion had been spent between mid-2023 and 2025 without transparency.
“Our investigations show that over 95 per cent of Abia’s public schools remain in dire condition, with broken classrooms, no fences, and no learning equipment. This completely contradicts the state’s budgetary claims,” he added.
Petition for Governor Otti's visa denial
The association urged governments and international bodies to deny Otti visas, accusing him of using foreign trips to escape scrutiny over his alleged crimes.
“We have petitioned America, Britain, France, Germany, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, the EU and the AU to stop him from travelling until he explains where the funds have gone,” Chikamnayo stressed.
Source: UGC
The group also accused the Labour Party-led administration of misrepresenting federal road projects as state achievements.
“This is about the future of Abia’s children. Corruption in education strips them of opportunities and violates their rights. Governor Otti cannot be allowed to sweep this scandal under the carpet,” Chikamnayo concluded.
The governor has not addressed the allegations as of the time of this report.
Trump, UK told to ban Zamfara governor
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a group known as the Concerned Citizens of Nigeria (CCN) also petitioned the US and UK governments to impose a travel ban on Zamfara state governor, Dauda Lawal.
This was over what it described as a failure to end terrorism and banditry in the state, arguing that sanctioning Lawal would be in line with international precedents for those complicit in terrorism.
In a petition dated September 16, 2025, the CCN alleged that the governor's inability to act, despite claims of having intelligence on bandits and terrorists, amounted to 'incompetence and complicity.'
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
