Abia govt slams Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu over false caim on federal funding, demands apology

The Abia State Government has faulted Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, over his recent comments suggesting that President Bola Tinubu releases ₦38 billion monthly to Abia State, describing the claim as “false, misleading, and politically motivated.”

In a strongly worded statement titled “Setting the Records Straight: Simple Lessons in Political Credibility for Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu,” the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, accused the Deputy Speaker of peddling misinformation to discredit the administration of Governor Alex Otti.

According to the statement issued on Monday, the government said it became necessary to correct the false narrative being circulated by Kalu and “some misguided opposition elements,” insisting that all funds received by the state are statutory allocations published monthly by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), not “presidential gifts or discretionary favours.”

“It is therefore misleading and patently inaccurate to suggest that Mr. President releases N38 billion monthly to Abia State. The official records, publicly available on the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation website, tell a different story,” the statement said.

The government provided detailed figures showing that Abia’s total receipts between January and June 2025 ranged between N18 billion and N22 billion monthly, including both FAAC and JAAC allocations, far below the N38 billion claimed by Kalu.

Prince Kanu noted that contrary to the Deputy Speaker’s insinuations, the Otti administration has not received any special federal intervention or extra-budgetary grants. He maintained that all developmental strides recorded under Governor Otti were achieved through prudent management of limited resources.

“Despite these limitations, Governor Alex Otti’s administration has achieved remarkable progress through prudence, transparency, and fiscal discipline,” the statement read. “His transformational leadership is evident in massive road construction, prompt payment of salaries and pensions, huge investments in healthcare and education, and youth empowerment initiatives.”

Kanu added that Abia’s performance has been recognised nationally, citing the 2025 State Performance Index by Phillips Consulting, which ranked the state first nationwide in social and economic infrastructure spending per citizen and second in road infrastructure and support for local enterprises.

He accused Kalu of attempting to undermine these achievements for political reasons, warning that “fighting Governor Alex Otti is tantamount to fighting Ndi Abia themselves.”

The statement called on the Deputy Speaker to apologise to Governor Otti and the people of Abia for what it termed his “political chicanery and ill-tempered vituperations,” urging him to “criticise with facts and truth if he hopes to salvage what is left of his credibility.”

“Abia has found a new rhythm under Governor Alex Otti built on vision, integrity, and accountability,” Kanu said. “Those who cannot align with this new order must learn to adjust their politics to truth, not try to bend the truth to their politics.”

Read full statement below 

SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT: SIMPLE LESSONS IN POLITICAL CREDIBILITY FOR RT. HON. BENJAMIN OKEZIE KALU

Public discourse thrives on facts, fairness, and responsibility. It is therefore important, in the spirit of truth and mutual respect, to address the recent comments credited to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, wherein he charged the media team of Governor Alex Otti’s administration to project more of the Federal Government’s “support” to Abia State.

Ordinarily, the Abia State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, would not engage in political distractions. However, when misinformation, especially from a high-ranking federal legislator like the Deputy Speaker has the potential to mislead citizens and distort verifiable data, setting the record straight becomes both a duty and a service to truth.

Let it be stated clearly that Federal Allocations to States are statutory entitlements, not presidential gifts or discretionary favors. The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), managed by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), publishes monthly disbursements to all three tiers of government. These allocations come from well-defined revenue subheads such as Statutory Revenue, 13% Derivation, Exchange Gain Allocation, Electronic Money Transfer Levy, VAT Allocation, Ecological Fund, among others.

It is therefore misleading and patently inaccurate to suggest that “Mr. President releases ₦38 billion monthly to Abia State.” The official records, publicly available on the OAGF website (https://oagf.gov.ng/publications/faac-report/), tell a different story.

For the avoidance of doubt, the actual statutory allocations to Abia State between January and June 2025 are as follows:

January: ₦18 billion (FAAC ₦11.2B, JAAC ₦6.8B)

February: ₦22 billion (FAAC ₦13.7B, JAAC ₦8.3B)

March: ₦21.1 billion (FAAC ₦13.4B, JAAC ₦7.7B)

April: ₦20.3 billion (FAAC ₦13.0B, JAAC ₦7.3B)

May: ₦21.5 billion (FAAC ₦13.9B, JAAC ₦7.6B)

June: ₦21.7 billion (FAAC ₦13.8B, JAAC ₦7.9B)

Even the most generous interpretation of these figures does not amount to ₦38 billion monthly, as erroneously claimed by the Deputy Speaker and echoed by some misguided opposition elements.

Public officers must understand the difference between federal statutory allocations shared constitutionally to all states and special interventions or grants, which are discretionary and exceptional. Abia State has not received any special or extraordinary funding beyond the regular FAAC disbursements.

Yet, despite these limitations, Governor Alex Otti’s administration has achieved remarkable progress through prudence, transparency, and fiscal discipline, qualities that appear to irritate those who thrive on sleaze and mediocrity. Indeed, this rare capacity for transformational governance is what many describe as the Governor’s “otumokpo” (magic touch) a reality that clearly irks Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

The evidence of Governor Otti’s leadership is everywhere:

A massive road infrastructure revolution cutting across all three senatorial zones,

Prompt payment of salaries and pensions, restoring dignity to workers and retirees,

Huge Investments in healthcare, education, and security, and

Strategic empowerment of youths and local enterprises.

Waste Disposal and urban renewal programs in Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia.a

These feats are not mere slogans; they are verified accomplishments that have earned Abia recognition within and outside the country. According to the 2025 State Performance Index by Phillips Consulting, Abia ranked 1st nationwide in social and economic infrastructure spending per citizen and 2nd in road infrastructure and support for local enterprises, a testament to doing more with less.

It is, therefore, curious and very disappointing that instead of celebrating these achievements, a ranking federal lawmaker like Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has chosen to peddle half-truths and misleading economic narratives for political advantage. Abia’s new governance model is not built on propaganda but on performance; not on rhetoric but on results.

Consequently, fighting Dr. Alex Otti, a man who commands l huge political following and support is tantamount to fighting Ndi Abia themselves, the very people Ben Kalu claims to represent and fight for. The Deputy Speaker has, indeed, stirred the proverbial hornets’ nest, and if he fails to retrace his steps, he risks being blown into political irrelevance both in Bende LGA and across Abia State.

Contrary to Kalu’s insinuations that the Otti administration does not acknowledge the Federal Government’s support, we have always shown gratitude where and when due. What we will not do is surrender facts to flattery or exchange truth for politics.

Abia has found a new rhythm under Governor Alex Otti that is built on vision ,integrity and accountability. Those who cannot align with this new order must learn to adjust their politics to truth, not try to bend the truth to their politics.

At this point,the irreducible minimum is for Ben Kalu to go and apologize to Governor Alex Otti and Ndi Abian for his political chicanery and immediately stop all manner of ill- tempered vituperations and false narratives about governance in the state. The people of Abia are discerning and have moved beyond beyond deceptive politics ; they stand firmly behind a leader who delivers results.

Since Ben Kalu has declared himself the face of opposition in Abia state,it will serve him better and indeed cheaper to criticize with facts and truth in order to reclaim what is left of his sullied credibility.

Prince Okey Kanu
Hon Commissioner for information