Abia Govt Denies Claims Attributed to Gov Otti About Turning Lagos into a Village

The Abia State Government has strongly refuted a viral social media report falsely quoting Governor Alex Otti as saying he has “no business with Lagos” and would “make Lagos look like a village.”

The report, titled “Governor Otti fires back over demolition of Igbo businesses,” claimed Governor Otti made disparaging remarks comparing Abia State to Lagos, and suggesting that his developmental goals aimed to surpass the megacity in a way that would render it insignificant.

One of the alleged quotes read: “I have no business with Lagos, I am not competing with Lagos. My competition is China and Dubai. By the time I’m done with Abia, Lagos will look like a village.”

In a swift response, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser to Governor Otti on Media and Publicity, issued a statement on Sunday night, dismissing the report as false, baseless, and malicious propaganda spread by “angry and frustrated politicians.”

Ekeoma emphasized that the alleged comments were entirely inconsistent with the governor’s character, saying: “Governor Otti detests garrulous and childish showmanship. He could not have made a statement that bears the signature of arrogance, thoughtlessness, and divisiveness.”

He further clarified that Governor Otti shares a long-standing, cordial relationship with Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, describing it as an “unbreakable bond” that spans decades.

“Speaking to the Governor directly off camera on any subject matter is one of the easiest things to do,” Ekeoma added, suggesting that the report could have easily been verified if there were genuine concerns.

Ekeoma also alleged that the fake news was orchestrated by the same “desperate politicians” who previously circulated petitions and inciting articles upon learning that President Bola Tinubu was scheduled to commission projects in Abia State.

He urged the public to disregard the fabricated report and warned against further attempts to sow discord through disinformation.