BY GORDI UDEAJAH
Media Adviser and Publicity to the Abia state governor Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, and the Publicity Secretary of the state All Progressives Congress ( APC ) Mr Uche Aguoru have exchanged reactions over allegation of public protest planning tagged “Tinubu Dey Work, Otti Dey Chop”, by Political Actors in the state.
Ekeoma, in a Special State Government Announcement, dated April 3, 2026 stated that ” Intelligence available to Abia State government has confirmed plans by some political actors in Abia to sponsor some miscreants from Aba and neighboring states to embark on a protest tagged “Tinubu Dey Work,Otti Dey Chop”.
He stated that ” this false narrative which some members of the opposition have been pushing for several months, and which is about to be elevated to a violent protest is meant to drive the false narrative that the Federal Government ( FG ) has paid for the construction of federal roads and other projects executed by Abia State government in the State”.
Ekeoma further stated that though the State government recently cleared the air on this matter to the effect that the Federal Government ( FG ) had stopped refunds, ” the enemies of Abia people intent that this protest would lead to a conflict between their hirelings and the State Task Force in Aba, which could result to possible killings, with attendant reprisals, thus creating an atmosphere of violence and breakdown of law and order, with a view to making the state ungovernable ahead of the 2027 elections”.
But reacting to Ekeoma’s State Governments announcement, the state APC, ( main Opposition party in the state) , through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Uche Aguoru, in a release debunked the state government’s allegation of a protest planning, saying it is a diversionary tactics.
Aguoru said ” it is, therefore, imperative to state unequivocally that the APC in Abia State is not aware of, nor is it involved in, any planned protest. The APC is a responsible and law-abiding political party that does not engage in actions capable of disrupting public peace or undermining the security and wellbeing of citizens.
” Given the Abia State Government’s well-established reputation for propaganda, misinformation, and calculated public deception, there is a strong possibility that this narrative is a deliberate ploy to divert public attention from the mounting concerns over governance failures, financial opacity, and the apparent mismanagement of public resources under the current administration”.
Aguoru maintained that his APC, both in Abia State and nationally, is not known for orchestrating protests or encouraging civil unrest, and that on the contrary, it’s track record reflects a commitment to lawful engagement, constructive opposition, and responsible political conduct.
” It is instructive, however, that those attempting to attribute such actions to the opposition belong to a political tradition that has, on multiple occasions, resorted to protests and confrontational tactics, accompanied by violence and disregard for rule of law”, Aguoru opined
Reporting that in recent months, citizens of Abia State have become increasingly vocal, demanding transparency and accountability regarding the management of state finances, he said ” available records show that over one trillion naira has accrued to the state with little to no corresponding improvement in infrastructure or the welfare of the people. These concerns remain largely unanswered, fueling public distrust and deepening suspicion of systemic mismanagement and possible financial impropriety”.
He argued that given this context, it is not far fetched to consider that the present alarm raised by the Abia State Government may itself be part of a staged narrative designed to manufacture a crisis, shift blame to the opposition, and ultimately distract from legitimate public scrutiny over governance issues”.
