The Abia State Government has denied the claims made by a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Charles Ogbonna, that Governor Alex Otti described Abia’s largest clan, Ngwa, as “people without brain.”
Charles Ogbonna had, in a trending video, claimed that Governor Otti personally told him (Ogbonna) that Ngwa people have no brain, a claim Ogbonna promised to back up with evidence, if requested.
But, reacting to the claims on Thursday, Abia State Government accused the former Commissioner of spreading malicious falsehood against Governor Alex Otti.
The Special Adviser to Abia State Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, in a statement he issued on behalf of the State Government, said Governor Alex Otti holds Ngwa people in high esteem and did not make such an utterance against them.
“We wish to state categorically that this allegation is false, baseless, and a figment of Chief Ogbonna’s imagination. At no time, in private or in public, did Governor Otti make such a statement.
“Those who know the Governor well know that he does not speak loosely unlike Ogbonna. Governor Otti holds Ndi Ngwa, like all Abians, in the highest esteem and has demonstrated this through equitable appointments, projects, and policies across all zones of the state.
“If Chief Ogbonna thought well about the statement he made, he would have known that he contradicted himself when he started by saying that Governor Otti told him he was from Nvosi in Ngwa and proceeded to pronounce Ngwa people brainless.
“That is to say that Governor Otti himself was without brains too! We challenge Chief Ogbonna to produce the evidence which he claimed he has,” Ekeoma said.
The Abia State Government alleged that Ogbonna is resorting to incitement and clannish hate speech as a plot to play the role of godfather to the candidates of his own political party.
Ekeoma concluded by warning the former Commissioner to desist from utterances that could destroy the peace of the State.
Governor Otti did not call Ngwa people brainless – Abia Govt