Abia State Governor Alex Otti has defended his 2020 statement about former Anambra Governor Peter Obi and $155 million.
Otti spoke during an interview with Arise Television. He explained that his earlier comment aimed to show that public officials can manage government funds prudently.
According to him, the statement dates back to June 8, 2020. He said he made the comment while discussing Obi’s handling of public funds during his time as governor.
Otti explains Peter Obi’s dollar decisionOtti said he was involved in the financial decision because he was a bank chief at the time. He explained that Obi initially planned to keep the money in naira.
However, Otti said he advised against that plan because the naira could lose value. He said the money was eventually converted into dollars.
‘It’s a statement of fact’
Explaining why he still stands by the statement, Otti said,
“They are referring to what I wrote in 2020. I think that was June 8, 2020. I was using it to prove that it’s still possible for people to be prudent in government.”
He added,
“It’s an account of what happened. And I had said that as the CEO of the bank at that time, he was going to leave the money in naira, and when he came to me and I said no, this naira you want to keep, naira will keep losing value.”
Otti continued,
“So you probably want to convert it to dollars, and it was converted.”
Otti: ‘I haven’t spoken again’
The Abia governor stressed that the issue happened several years ago. He also said he has not discussed it again since his 2020 statement.
“So it’s a statement of fact, and it’s something that happened several years, six years ago. So I haven’t spoken again, and so that’s what they are referring to,” Otti said.
Otti’s latest comments have brought his 2020 statement back into the spotlight. However, he maintains that his account remains unchanged and was based on events he witnessed at the time. For now, he says he has no reason to withdraw his words.
