Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has dismissed as fake news, report trending on social media, that he dragged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Government, to the International Criminal Court, ICC, for allegedly turning down his request for approval to build seaport in Abia.
Otti who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, urged members of the public to ignore the said fabricated report which, according to him, is a tissue of falsehood.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read: “Abia State Government’s attention has been drawn to a fake report trending on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), that the Governor had sued the Nigerian Government and President Bola Tinubu at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“The fake news claims that Governor Otti sued the Federal Republic of Nigeria and President Tinubu for allegedly refusing to grant the request of the Abia Governor to establish a seaport as well as an international airport in Abia.
“Another part of the badly stringed and concocted report alleges that Governor Otti had also placed a ban on businesses operated by Nigerians of northern extraction resident in Abia State, until the approval for the establishment of the said seaport and international airport is granted.
“There is absolutely no truth in this wickedly contrived fable. We are still on the drawing board on the proposed seaport while the Federal Government provided for an airstrip in Abia in the current budget, for which we are grateful.
“The general public is by this statement, therefore, advised to ignore the fake report, treat it for what it is, a trash, and consign it to the waste bin, as it is the handiwork of idle rabble-rousers.”
