In Abia State, Nigeria, the outgoing governor Okezie Ikpeazu and governor-elect Alex Otti’s camps have engaged in a war of words over an alleged ongoing employment racketeering in the state’s civil service. The alleged employment racketeering was said to be taking place ahead of the expiration of the tenure of the Ikpeazu administration. Ferdinand Ekeoma, Otti’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, issued a statement warning the outgoing government of the employment racketeering in Abia civil service.
According to Ekeoma, the ongoing employment is illegal, taking place in different ministries and parastatals, and employees are issued with backdated employment letters. The statement from Otti’s camp accused the outgoing administration of laying a needless landmine for the in-coming government of Alex Otti.
In response to the allegations, the Chief Press Secretary to the outgoing governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka, said that Ikpeazu is not aware of the development. In a statement issued by Ememanka, he reminded Otti that the government is legitimately in office, and it is “preposterous and outrightly anachronistic” for the media team of the governor-elect to use the word illegal to describe the activities of a government that is legitimately in office.
Ememanka went on to say that the governor still has the power to grant employment waivers to the state workforce until the end of his term. He advised Otti to wait patiently until he is sworn in before reviewing such executive actions.
The clash between the two camps comes amid preparations for the transition of power on May 29, 2023. It remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved and if Otti’s camp will take any further action against the alleged employment racketeering in the state civil service
