Governor Alex Otti of Abia State is facing strong criticism for awarding millions of Naira in contract negotiation fees to a law firm owned by his close friend and political ally, Kenneth Ahia, SAN. The firm, Ken Ahia, SAN & Associates, received N50 million for negotiating and reviewing a single road contract related to the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road, Aba.
Documents obtained, reveals to that the Abia State Ministry of Justice, under Attorney General Ikechukwu Uwanna, requested the approval for the N50 million payment, which had been reduced from an initial N60 million following negotiations. The justification given for the fee was the complexity of the transaction and the firm’s role in securing the best possible rate for the state.
Ahia, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is a known supporter of Governor Otti. In 2022, he donated two buses to Otti’s gubernatorial campaign and also represented the governor at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. This connection has raised concerns about favoritism, with critics accusing the Otti administration of financial mismanagement and excessive spending.
Many Nigerians have voiced their disapproval on social media, questioning why such a large sum was allocated to a private firm when the Ministry of Justice could have handled the negotiations internally. On X (formerly Twitter), users expressed disappointment in the governor’s actions, with some pointing out that similar issues had been flagged in the past. For instance, earlier reports revealed that the governor’s administration had allocated N1.5 billion for the purchase of two Toyota Hilux vehicles, a figure the governor later blamed on a software error.
Critics argue that Governor Otti, who campaigned on promises of transparency and good governance, is failing to live up to expectations. Some see his actions as typical of Nigerian political practices, while others fear that this financial mismanagement could further harm Abia State’s development.
Governor Otti has not yet issued a formal response to the latest round of criticism.
