Our Reporter, Abuja
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, on Monday signed into law the 2026 Appropriation Bill totaling ₦1.016 trillion, pledging full implementation of the budget in the coming fiscal year.
The budget, estimated at ₦1,016,228,072,651.99, was presented to the governor by the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly during a brief signing ceremony at the Government House, Umuahia.
Assenting to the bill, Governor Otti commended the Abia State House of Assembly for the speedy yet thorough consideration of the budget proposal, noting that the scrutiny given to the document reflects the true spirit of democracy.
“Today, we have gathered to sign the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, and that has just happened moments ago,” the governor said.
“I want to start by thanking the team who worked very hard to produce the Appropriation Bill and dispatched it to the House. More thanks go to the House for expeditiously attending to the bill, crunching the numbers, and spending sleepless nights to ensure its quick passage.”
Governor Otti expressed satisfaction with the engagement between the executive and legislative arms, stressing that constructive questioning and detailed examination of figures helped strengthen the final document. He noted that despite the rigorous review process, the major figures in the budget remained unchanged.
“The total appropriation remains ₦1.016 trillion. That was the number we churned out here after several sleepless nights,” he said, adding that the ratio between capital and recurrent expenditure also remained intact, underscoring the administration’s development priorities.
According to the governor, the 2026 budget reflects his government’s commitment to people-centered development through the creation of an enabling environment for businesses, alongside sustained investments in social infrastructure such as health, education, environmental sanitation, roads, and bridges.
Earlier, Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, described the budget—titled “Budget of Acceleration and New Possibilities”—as a roadmap for consolidating the gains recorded by the Otti administration. He said the achievements of the governor within 30 months in office have earned global recognition, assuring continued legislative support for the execution of projects outlined in the 2026 fiscal plan.
“The House is pleased to be part of the acceleration of development projects in Abia State,” Emeruwa said, while reaffirming the Assembly’s commitment to partnering with the executive to drive progress.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Austin Nmeregini, other members of the State House of Assembly, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, commissioners, special advisers, and the Clerk of the House.
