By Chukwudi Nweje

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Abia State, Acho Chomen Obioma has accused the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of running “a government of propaganda, lies and deceit.”

Obioma was reacting to a statement by the state government, which accused him of collecting 90 percent mobilisation for Ariam Road and abandoning it.

The APC chieftain said such statement was an attempt to thwart the truth and divert attention from the verifiable points.

He denied collecting 90 percent mobilisation from the state government and said that it was the government owing him, insisting that the administration has defaulted on several promises made to the Ariam Ikwuano community that his company would be paid in order for them to return to site.

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A statement signed by Kenneth Oladokun, Obioma’s media aide, further accused the Ikpeazu-led administration of monumental fraud, ineptitude and collecting kick-backs from contractors as well as recruitment of 1,000 aides, “most of whom do not have portfolios, owing workers salaries running into arrears of nine months, just for its self-seeking need to win re-election.”

Oladokun added that Obioma has dragged the state government to court, for defaming his name.

“This is the height of irresponsibility and neglect of duty for a government to admit paying a contractor 90 percent mobilisation in contravention to the Public Procurement Act and still left the contractor to abscond, without taking adequate measures to recover the said money from the contractor.

“We challenge the state government to make available now, to Abians, the payment process, stating the payment vouchers, cheques/e-payment receipts and the bank used for the payments.

“If there is no such records, they should now tell Abians what they did with the alleged money. The onus lies on the government to do so and, in case, it fails to do, then, government will have to meet us in court for defamation of character and Abians would also now know that Ikpeazu runs a government of propaganda, lies and deceit…”