Alex Otti Accused of Flouting Tinubu’s Directive and Supreme Court Ruling
- An APC chieftain, Prince Paul Ikonne, accused Abia State Governor Alex Otti of resisting local government autonomy despite President Tinubu’s directive and a Supreme Court ruling
- Ikonne alleged that the Abia government was working to amend or create laws that would allow continued control of local government funds
- He cited Lagos and Enugu states as examples where local councils were executing projects independently and benefiting residents directly
An Abia State chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Prince Paul Ikonne, has accused Governor Alex Otti of deliberately undermining local government autonomy in defiance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Supreme Court ruling on the matter.
Ikonne alleged that the Abia governor was working to alter existing laws or introduce fresh ones that would allow continued control of local government funds by the state government.
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He spoke during an appearance on Television Continental’s Politics Tonight, where he linked Otti’s actions to what he described as a broader resistance by some governors to comply with constitutional provisions.
According to Ikonne, the issue of local government autonomy has become a defining governance test following President Tinubu’s remarks at a recent APC National Executive Council meeting, where the president openly criticised governors for failing to implement the Supreme Court judgment on the financial independence of councils.
Tinubu’s directive and party response
Ikonne said the president’s intervention was long overdue and showed clear political will. He recalled Tinubu’s warning to governors during the meeting, where the president said, “I have the knife and I have the yam.”
The former Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority said the statement reflected seriousness rather than political theatre. He argued that party leaders had a duty to address internal violations of the law before engaging external critics.
Ikonne contrasted Abia’s situation with states he said were already respecting council autonomy.
“In Lagos state, you see local government building health centers, building schools,” he said.
“They are also council elected chairmen and councillors.”
He added that similar examples could be found in Enugu State, where councils were reportedly executing projects independently. Ikonne maintained that local governments remain the closest tier of government to ordinary citizens and should not be weakened through administrative interference.
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Focusing on Abia, Ikonne claimed that the state’s 17 local governments collectively receive between N7 billion and N8 billion monthly but have little to show for it. He said council chairmen allegedly receive limited allocations despite substantial federal transfers.
“My local government, for example, receives an average of 4 to 500 million every month but the local government chairman gets 8 million naira only from the government,” he stated.
APC chieftain Ikonne calls for transparency
Ikonne challenged the Abia administration to publicly account for how local government funds have been utilised. He expressed disappointment that a Labour Party-led government, which campaigned on reform, had not used the autonomy ruling to demonstrate a different governance approach.
He also dismissed claims that the APC was using federal power to pressure opposition governors, suggesting instead that shifting political alliances were driven by electoral realities.
“There are rumours that the man in Abia, Alex Otti wants to join APC,” Ikonne said.
“So if he's running around, clear indication some of them want to go back to the office.”
He expressed confidence that governors yet to comply with the president’s directive would eventually fall in line, insisting that none would openly defy Tinubu following the NEC meeting.
Otti lambasted for imposing “unjustifiable” levies
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that growing concerns have trailed activities in major markets across Aba as APC chieftain Prince Paul Ikonne accused operatives of the Abia state government of unleashing harsh and unregulated actions on traders.
He said the situation has worsened under officials appointed by Governor Alex Otti, who now operate as market leaders.
Source: Legit.ng
