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Gov. Alex Otti has put to rest speculations about Abia seeking reimbursement for federal road projects executed by the state, saying that the Federal Government has no plan to pay back.
Speaking at his monthly media interactive session with newsmen, on Friday night, Otti said the new Federal Government’s policy was that states could toll such roads, “if they want their money back”.
He sympathised with those peddling the rumour about reimbursement, saying they were speaking out of ignorance.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to fixing all Abia roads, federal or state, saying “they’re all used by Abia residents.
“Before we jump on any federal road, we have long engagements with the federal government and those roads must be ceded to us in writing,” he said.
Otti also addressed compensation concerns for the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road rehabilitation, saying he expected the Federal Government to pay, since it awarded the project without funding.
He said: “We always pay compensation in any route we are entering.
“But then, my understanding is that, if there is any compensation to be paid, Federal Government should have done so because the route was actually awarded, but was not funded.
“So, that’s my understanding. I can’t be too sure.”
Read Also: Kano Deputy Gov Tenders Resignation Amid Impeachment Bid
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the State Government had undertaken to rehabilitate critical federal roads, including Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, Owerrinta-Umuikaa dual carriageway, Ohafia-Arochukwu Road, among others.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to establishing a state police.
He said, “The new General Manager for Homeland Security is working with his team to get us ready once the whistle is blown.”
He ruled out any possible defection to another party, saying he would run for re-election on the Labour Party (LP) platform in 2027.
According to him, the Supreme Court decision has settled the party leadership crisis.
He, therefore, urged interested Nigerians to register for LP membership.
Otti described the progress on the newly introduced electric buses as “exciting”, saying that 30 more buses were expected by July, bringing the total to 50.
The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Comrade Abdulsalam Gwarzo, has reportedly stepped down from office, according to a statement released by the Kwankwasiyya Movement, though the state government has yet to issue an official confirmation.
In the statement signed by its spokesperson, Dr Habibu Sale Mohammed, the political group said the decision was taken after careful consideration and in the interest of maintaining stability in the state’s governance.
It explained that prevailing circumstances had made it difficult for the deputy governor to effectively carry out the full scope of his duties.
“This decision, though difficult, has been taken in the overall interest of the people and the stability of governance in Kano State,” the statement said.
The development follows allegations levelled against the deputy governor by the Kano State House of Assembly.
However, the movement stressed that his resignation should not be interpreted as an acceptance of any wrongdoing.
“The Deputy Governor maintains his innocence and firmly believes that his records in office and public service remain a testament to his integrity and commitment to the people,” the statement added.
The group also disclosed that the former deputy governor intends to channel his efforts into strengthening the Kwankwasiyya Movement, with a focus on restructuring and strategic positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As at the time of filing this report, there has been no official confirmation or reaction from the Kano State government regarding the reported resignation.
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo ordered the immediate suspension without pay of civil servants found absent from their duty posts by 10 a.m. Thursday, following an unannounced inspection of the Jerome Udorji Secretariat in Awka that exposed widespread absenteeism across multiple ministries and departments.
A video shared by the state government’s new media team showed Soludo moving through several offices, visibly displeased as he queried officials present and demanded explanations for absent colleagues. The unscheduled nature of the visit caught many workers off guard and caused disruption across a number of departments.
“I walked in, office by office, and there are quite a significant number of workers who are not yet at work as of 10 a.m. This is unacceptable,” the governor told journalists after completing his walkthrough. He described what he found as a mixture of “the good, the bad and the ugly,” commending diligent staff whose conduct he said formed the backbone of the state’s public service while making clear that chronic absenteeism and poor timekeeping would no longer be tolerated.
“By 10 a.m., if they are not in their seats, we don’t need them,” Soludo declared, adding that underperforming staff whom he described as “bad eggs” would be removed from the service entirely. “Anambra is an A-state and cannot afford an inefficient civil service.”
