Dr Ifeanyichukwu Uke


American-based Nigerian, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Uke has applauded Abia State Governor Alex Otti's quest to recover N10 billion purportedly spent on the Abia Airport project by the previous administration.

Dr Uke, Abia State-born Forensic Clinical Psychologist, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist who described the move as a "... powerful message across Abia and beyond that governance is a responsibility of results", affirms that "In a nation where public accountability is often whispered about but rarely pursued with courage, the recent action taken by the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, stands as a refreshing and historic shift in governance. His firm demand that the past Abia State administration either show the physical evidence of the Airport for which ₦10 billion was reportedly spent or return the funds to the people is not just a political statement, it is a moral reckoning".

Gov Alex Otti 

Uke argued that by demanding proof or refund, Gov Otti is doing what many leaders avoid - confronting the past, not for revenge, but for restitution. Not for politics, but for principle.

"This is the kind of leadership that redefines public service, leadership that understands that every naira in government coffers belongs to the people and must be accounted for.

"When a government says ₦10 billion has been spent on an airport, the people should be able to stand on its runway, not just read about it in archives.

"If ₦10 billion was indeed spent, the evidence should be visible. If not, the people deserve their money back.

Simple! Transparent! Just!", he argued

Uke further maintained that Gov Otti’s insistence on answers has several lessons for the State: First, it breaks a culture of silence on corruption noted that the quest to recover the money restores something far more valuable than money: public trust.

"Second, it tells civil servants, contractors, political appointees, and future administrations that Abia State has entered a new era where records will be checked, claims will be verified, and public resources will be traced. It warns that governance is no longer a free pass to spend without accountability.

"Third, for the youths of Abia, this is a lesson in civic responsibility; Fourth, for taxpayers, it is a reassurance that their sacrifices matter; And Fifth, for public office holders, it is a notice that the era of impunity is being dismantled

"This is not merely about an airport. It is about the runway to a new culture of governance in Abia State.

Governor Otti’s stance is courageous because it touches sensitive nerves. It is easier to move forward quietly than to ask uncomfortable questions about yesterday. But true leadership is not afraid of discomfort when justice is at stake", he stated

He added that "History will remember this moment not just as a demand for an airport, but as a demand for integrity. And integrity, once restored, becomes the foundation upon which real development can be built.

"For years, Nigerians have watched public funds disappear into the fog of “projects” that never materialize. Budgets are announced, contracts are awarded, figures are quoted, yet the people see nothing on ground. The Abia Airport project had long joined that list of ghost projects, spoken about in press releases, but invisible to the eyes of the citizens who paid for it.

"Abia State is witnessing a rare moment in Nigerian governance where accountability is not rhetoric but action. Governor Alex Otti deserves commendation for daring to insist that public office is a trust, not a privilege", he submitted