Politics
EFCC’s Probe Into Ikpeazu’s ?10bn ‘Audio Airport’ Project On Course – Otti
He said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has not closed the case and is continuing to question individuals linked to the project.
The governor made this known during his monthly media briefing in Umuahia over the weekend.
Gov. Otti dismissed reports suggesting the matter had been abandoned by the authorities.
“The EFCC is still working on the audio airport. Some people are still being invited, and at the end of the investigation, anyone found culpable will face the consequences,” Gov. Otti said.
The governor restated that public funds were allegedly spent on an airport project that does not physically exist.
He recalled that shortly after assuming office, he challenged his predecessor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, to either present the completed airport or account for how the money was used.
Gov. Otti insisted that his administration would not ignore any case involving the misuse of state resources.
Meanwhile, the governor issued a fresh directive on the stalled reconstruction of the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Federal Road.
He expressed concern that work had not started months after the road was officially flagged off.
Gov. Otti ordered the Commissioner for Works, Mr Otumchere Oti, to ensure construction begins without delay.
“Unfailingly by next week,” he instructed.
He warned factories in Aba against dumping industrial waste into the river.
According to him, such actions threaten marine life and pose serious health risks to residents.
“It is a punishable offence to empty industrial waste into a flowing river. Any factory caught doing so will face the full weight of the law,” he warned.
Gov. Otti explained that the dredging project would support plans to establish a leisure and entertainment centre at Azumini Blue River.
The project is expected to reposition Enyimba Hotel as a major tourism destination in the state.
“We are planning a leisure and entertainment centre at Azumini Blue River to make Enyimba Hotel a centre of attraction,” he said.
He added that the Abia State Government owns 80 percent equity in the hotel, while the remaining 20 percent belongs to the original investors.
Gov. Otti disclosed that the facility would be managed by Radisson Blu, an international hotel management brand.
On transportation, the governor announced that the state’s electric buses would begin collecting fares from March 1.
The buses had been operating free of charge since December 2025 under the state’s urban mass transit programme.
He said passengers would pay between ?700 and ?800 for trips from Umuahia to Aba, and ?1,000 for journeys from Umuahia to Ohafia.
All payments, he added, would be made electronically, as cash would no longer be accepted.
The Commission disclosed the figure in its weekly update for week 14 of the second phase of the exercise, which ended on Friday, April 17, 2026.
According to the breakdown, 2,259,288 Nigerians completed their registration through the online pre-registration portal, while 1,489,416 finalized their registration physically at designated centres nationwide.
INEC noted that the figures remain preliminary and are subject to further verification and data cleaning processes to ensure accuracy ahead of the consolidation of the national voter register.
With the conclusion of the registration phase, the Commission has now shifted focus to the display of the Register of Voters for Claims and Objections, a statutory stage aimed at strengthening the credibility and integrity of the voters register.
The display exercise is scheduled to hold from April 29 to May 5, 2026, across designated centres nationwide, providing citizens the opportunity to verify their details and raise objections where necessary.
The Commission urged all registered voters from the concluded phase to take advantage of the exercise to confirm the accuracy of their information and assist in identifying ineligible entries, including duplicate registrations, deceased persons, and non-citizens.
INEC explained that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise is being conducted in phases, with the first phase running from August 18 to December 10, 2025, while the second phase commenced on January 5, 2026 and ended on April 17, 2026.
The Commission further stated that the date for the commencement of the third phase will be announced in due course.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, INEC stressed that maintaining a clean and accurate voter register remains central to ensuring free, fair, and transparent electoral processes in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, informed the journalists that the dialogue was sponsored by the European Union, under the auspices of the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II), Component 4: Support to Media.
According to the veteran media practitioner, the programme is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the media to promote credible elections through factual, accurate and fair reporting.
He explained that the programme is part of a broader five-year intervention designed to support democratic governance and improve the role of the media in Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that fact-checking and inclusive reporting are critical responsibilities for journalists, especially during electioneering.
He described the media as a central role agent with regard to upholding transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
A resource person and Director of Journalism Clinic, Lagos, Mr Taiwo Obe, enjoined journalists to embrace the evolving technology so that they would not be in the backwaters in the practice of the profession.
He advised journalists not to downplay Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their bid to remain relevant in the media environment by being abreast of the changing patterns of news consumption.
The journalism teacher explained that with digital transformation of the media industry, it had become imperative for journalists to constantly upgrade and update their skills, stressing the fundamental place of attitude and self-development and underscored the dynamic nature of media consumption in the digital age, thereby compelling journalists to embrace tools and platforms, but without much reliance on AI.
In his lecture, a Professor of Mass Communication at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Adebola Aderibigbe, advised journalists in Ekiti State to ensure that coverage of the upcoming governorship poll is issue-based rather than dwelling on personalities.
He added that sensationalism should not occupy the front-burner of any discussions concerning the 2026 election, admonishing that sustenance of democracy is anchored on responsible journalism.
”Journalists must prioritise accuracy, fairness and balance in their reports by verifying facts and giving all parties involved in political matters the opportunity to present their views”, he said.
According to the university don, the election will not be defined by personalities, but by issues. ”Let issues be the pivotal ring upon which every discussion should be made. Sensationalisation of issues should not be the bedrock of discussions in the 2026 election”, he added.
“Do not hear from Party A without hearing from Party B, otherwise the report will be skewed to one side and once issues of elections are skewed, problems will naturally arise”, he stressed.