The Abia State Government has dismissed as false a resurfacing social media report claiming that Governor Alex Otti dragged the Federal Government of Nigeria before a “World Court” over the approval of a cargo airport in Aba.
State officials said the allegation, which first appeared last year and was publicly debunked, has re-emerged online in recent days, prompting a fresh clarification.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, described the claim as misleading, fabricated and designed to deceive the public.
He stated unequivocally that Governor Otti has never filed, contemplated, or authorised any lawsuit against the Federal Government at any international court on the matter of the proposed airport or on any other issue.
According to Kanu, issues concerning aviation infrastructure approvals fall squarely within Nigeria’s established regulatory and administrative processes, making the claim not only false but implausible.
“At no time has the Abia State Government initiated or considered any form of international litigation in relation to this matter,” he said.
The commissioner also faulted parts of the viral narrative alleging that the governor accused the Federal Government of marginalisation or genocide, or that he made claims about the treatment of Igbos in Lagos before an international body.
He described such assertions as “dangerous falsehoods” aimed at stirring ethnic tension and dragging the governor’s name into a web of misinformation.
“The idea that a sitting governor would bypass constitutional channels to make such grave accusations before an imaginary court shows the level of irresponsibility behind this propaganda,” Kanu said.
He maintained that Governor Otti is committed to lawful engagement with federal authorities and to national unity, not what he called “sensational claims or ethnic provocation.”
The Abia government suggested that the renewed circulation of the story may be linked to political opponents uncomfortable with the administration’s reform agenda and governance style.
“Unable to challenge performance with facts, they have resorted to recycling falsehoods,” the statement said.
Kanu urged the public to ignore the report and called on media organisations to verify information from official sources before dissemination. He added that the government would not hesitate to take necessary steps against those deliberately spreading misinformation capable of undermining public peace.
He reiterated that Governor Otti remains focused on development priorities in Abia State through due process and constructive collaboration with relevant federal agencies.
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