A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Abia State, Prince Paul Ikonne, has condemned Governor Alex Otti for what he described as a verbal assault on a journalist during a recent media briefing in Umuahia.
The criticism followed an exchange at a media briefing where Governor Otti was reported to have labelled a reporter’s inquiry into transparency and economic accountability as “irresponsible” and “stupid.”
The journalist, identified as Chika Nwabueze of Don Media Group, asked the governor for verifiable evidence of how his administration’s policies had directly improved living standards in Abia State beyond visible infrastructure projects.
According to the APC chieftain’s statement, Otti’s response to the question was hostile and inappropriate. Ikonne’s media office issued the statement on Sunday, signed by Chiagoziem Enoch.
Prince Ikonne praised the reporter’s professionalism and said journalists deserve commendation for seeking accountability.
He said it takes courage for a journalist to ask questions about government performance in an environment where public officials may appear uncomfortable with scrutiny.
Ikonne described the governor as a trained economist and expressed surprise that Otti did not provide empirical evidence to support his administration’s performance when asked.
He questioned the tangible impact of government policies on traders, farmers and unemployed residents of the state.
In the statement, Ikonne called on the state government to provide a transparent account of how federal allocations and internally generated revenue have been utilised.
He also raised concerns about job creation and healthcare projects, asking for details on taxation, employment opportunities, and health centre provisions.
Ikonne linked the incident to ongoing controversies in the state, mentioning funding for projects such as the “smart school” project and recreational centre.
He said such matters should focus on verifiable development rather than social media optics.
The APC chieftain argued that rather than answering legitimate questions, the governor’s conduct reflected conduct that silences dissenting voices.
He called on Otti to issue a formal public apology to the journalist and provide the requested data.
