FERDINAND EKEOMA CRITICISES ABIA APC CHAIRMAN CHIJIOKE CHUKWU OVER REMARKS ON STATE GOVERNANCE. (PHOTO).

 Ferdinand Ekeoma Criticises Abia APC Chairman Chijioke Chukwu Over Remarks on State Governance

Senior Special Assistant to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, has responded sharply to recent statements by the Abia State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, describing them as inaccurate, uninformed, and disconnected from the realities of governance in the state.

In a statement issued on March 21, 2026, Ekeoma addressed Chukwu’s claims during a recent engagement in Ikwuano Local Government Area, where the APC chairman criticised the Labour Party administration for alleged poor performance and lack of development.

Ekeoma highlighted what he described as inconsistencies in Chukwu’s political record and public statements. He noted that Chukwu had previously expressed strong support for figures within the APC, including during his time as a candidate for the Abia State House of Assembly, before shifting positions after achieving electoral success.

The media aide disputed Chukwu’s assertion that the APC played a decisive role in Governor Otti’s emergence as governor in 2023, pointing out that Chukwu had publicly backed the APC governorship candidate, High Chief Ikechi Emelike, in that election.

Ekeoma defended the Otti administration’s fiscal and salary management record, rejecting claims that previous governments faced similar challenges due to lower federal allocations. 

Ekeoma also addressed Chukwu’s comments on “consequential adjustment” of salaries, clarifying that it is a standard practice following minimum wage increases to maintain salary relativity across grades. He explained that the mechanism ensures senior employees continue to earn more than junior staff after wage reviews and is negotiated with labour unions, a process routinely followed under the current administration.

The governor’s aide expressed concern over what he termed Chukwu’s apparent lack of awareness of these established procedures, describing it as unfortunate to use limited understanding to criticise progressive reforms.

Ekeoma further emphasised that Governor Otti’s appointees, many of whom have professional experience from Lagos, Abuja, and other major cities, have been selected for competence and are delivering results that matter to Abians. He contrasted this with Chukwu’s unsuccessful 2023 House of Assembly bid in Bende North, suggesting that local residency alone does not determine political relevance or effectiveness.