Abia Frets over Cyber Attacks on Gov Otti, Says Detractors Pursuing Self-serving Agenda

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Government has expressed worry over the spate of social media attacks on the state Governor, Alex Otti, saying the “well-coordinated campaign of disinformation and propaganda is sponsored by mischievous political interests.”

But it vehemently warned the purveyors of falsehoods to desist from their nefarious acts to avoid causing crisis of national proportion while pursuing their “unwholesome, self-serving agenda.”

The warning was contained in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communication, Mr. Dodoh Okafor, and made available to journalists yesterday in Umuahia.

He cited a number of articles and posts circulated on social media platforms in recent weeks that were fabricated either to pitch Governor Otti against President Bola Tinubu or against his fellow governors, and even the public.

Okafor referenced a recent story in the social media purporting that the governor had dragged President Tinubu to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for allegedly refusing to grant the request of the Abia State Government to establish a seaport and an international airport in the state.

He stated that it was easy to see through the lies in what on the surface, would have served as good comic relief to informed audiences since there was nothing to support such claims, but pointed out that “something more sinister was buried in the very story.

“The author(s) claimed that Governor Otti had in addition to his alleged legal actions against the president also ‘banned’ traders from a section of the country from doing business in the state.

“The aim was to instigate hatred against Governor Otti from a section of the country and then incite a misinformed mob against hardworking Nigerians in a supposed retaliation.”

The governor’s SSA on Public Communication also noted with sadness another fake news “planted and circulated by dangerous elements hiding behind pseudonyms,” suggesting that Otti was mocking his brother governors.

The purported quote claimed that the Abia  State governor stated that when he is done executing just five percent of his grand plans for the state, other Nigerians would stone their respective state governors.

According to Okafor, “The aim of the mischief makers behind the circulated quote was to set Governor Otti against his brother governors by attributing to him, a completely made-up statement.

“Had Nigerians not known Dr Alex Otti to be a very measured fellow, ever conscious of his remarks in public and private spaces, the reaction would have been entirely different.

“It is a well-known fact that Governor Otti, despite his numerous accomplishments in the private sector and now in the political space, remains an unassuming man.”

The spokesman noted that Otti has continued to maintain “a modest approach to life, treating everyone who comes across him with a genuine sense of compassion, love and respect.

“He (Otti) would, therefore, never in a million years suggest to anyone that he is superior to his other brother governors.”

 Another run of fake news the SSA shot down was “a fresh attempt to set Otti up against ordinary Nigerians by attributing an out-of-character quote to the governor, claiming he boasted that his ‘sons’ are billionaires.

“To begin with, the governor does not have billionaire sons, and there is nothing to suggest that any of his children, male or female, lives a billionaire lifestyle.

“Not one shred of evidence can support this.  Governor Otti has always restricted himself to issues of genuine importance in all his public engagements and could not have told anyone he is serving the public with great enthusiasm only because his ‘sons are billionaires’.”

He explained that the intention of those behind the falsehood was “to join the governor to the league of those who abuse public trust by making government offices a family affair, a system Governor Otti boldly fought against.”

On the claim that Governor Otti had got the nod of the state House of Assembly and secured loan facilities of N100 billion and N50 billion from two banks respectively, the public communication aide described it as “wild tales and concocted speculations.”

While lampooning “desperate Abia politicians and their minions for deceiving the public,” Okafor expressed relief that “many critical readers who saw through the shenanigan readily dismissed it for what it is-a hideous attempt at disinformation.”