Prince Paul Ikonne, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, has expressed confidence that the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, will regain his freedom without interference from opposition politicians attempting to exploit the issue for political advantage.
Ikonne made the remark while addressing a delegation of Ukwa la Ngwa youths who visited him on Friday. He criticized some political figures for using Kanu’s detention to score cheap political points instead of focusing on governance and accountability.
The APC leader also questioned the Abia State Government’s management of key projects, particularly the reported ₦54 billion “Smart School” and ₦6 billion “Recreational Centre” allegedly completed under Governor Alex Otti.
“If these projects truly exist, why were they not unveiled during the governor’s recent commissioning of rehabilitated roads? Why does every project update from Abia Government House end on social media without visible evidence on the ground?” he asked.
Ikonne further described the state’s quarterly performance reports as “worrying,” alleging that large sums were being written off for projects that could not be traced, even as Abia reportedly receives over ₦30 billion monthly from federal allocations and internally generated revenue.
He accused the Otti administration of merely “repainting and rebranding old structures” while presenting them as new achievements, stressing that Abians could no longer be deceived by “photo opportunities and cosmetic projects.”
Ikonne urged youths to remain vigilant and demand accountability from their leaders, saying no propaganda could substitute genuine performance.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for sustaining financial support to state governments and introducing policies aimed at economic stability but lamented that the Abia State Government had failed to translate such support into meaningful development.
