Economy

ABIA AT A CROSSROADS: A FACTUAL, HISTORICAL, AND REASONED DEFENCE OF OTTI’S 2026 BUDGET AND GOVERNANCE TRAJECTORY INTRODUCTION: WHY CONTEXT MATTERS MORE THAN SENTIMENT Public discourse in Abia State has recently been dominated by claims that Governor Alex Otti’s 2026 budget is unrealistic, deceitful or deliberately inflated. Such criticisms, amplified by former finance officials and political actors, often ignore the historical, structural and fiscal realities that shaped Abia’s governance environment long before Otti entered office. In policy analysis, especially at state level, facts—not political interpretations—must anchor conversation. Budgets reflect the intersection of inherited liabilities, present economic conditions and forward-looking development…

WILL LIFE BE EASIER FOR THE POOR IN ABIA IN 2026? Using the 2026 Budget + Street Realities The 2026 Abia Budget is ₦1.016 trillion. Out of this, ₦811.8bn (about 80%) is for capital projects. Only ₦204.4bn (20%) is for recurrent spending. These numbers tell us clearly that the government is chasing long-term reforms, not short-term welfare. On the street today, the poor face the same pressures everywhere in Nigeria: transport is high, food is expensive, and small businesses are weak. Even when roads are being fixed, construction causes temporary suffering before relief comes. But the capital-heavy structure of the…

WHEN FACTS ARE PUBLIC AND FREE, IGNORANCE BECOMES A CHOICE A Rebuttal to Oracle’s Misleading Take on Abia’s 2025–2026 Budgets It would be a great disservice to Abia State if Obinna Oriaku keeps quiet. Let him ventilate — because the loudest voices in the room are often the least informed, and silence allows falsehood to ferment into public opinion. When critics choose conjecture over documentation, it is our civic duty to respond firmly, clearly and factually. This rejoinder is not written to praise the government. It is written to defend truth. The Writer Built His Attack on a Budget That…