Oriaku Defends ₦54bn Records, Faults Abia Govt on Transparency

Former Abia State Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Obinna Oriaku, has defended the controversial ₦54 billion figures published on Abia State’s official website, insisting they were credible financial records produced under the World Bank-backed SFTAS (State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability) programme.

Speaking during a radio programme in Aba, Oriaku explained that the documents, signed by the then Commissioner for Finance and Accountant General, enabled Abia State to earn over ₦21 million in a performance incentive grant.

“To now disown those records is unfair,” Oriaku said, accusing the present administration of running a “cult system” where only insiders understand financial dealings.

READ ALSO: APC Made Southeast Projects Possible – Ex-Abia Commissioner, Oriaku

He warned that the lack of transparency could damage the state’s credibility. On a personal note, Oriaku stressed that he left office with his integrity intact, recalling that contractors who appreciated his transparency offered equipment to communities instead of bribes.