Public commentator and lawyer Dr. Ope Banwo has criticised the Abia State Government under Governor Alex Otti, accusing the administration of running what he described as a “propaganda-driven government” built on exaggerated claims and selective messaging rather than measurable governance outcomes.
In a detailed commentary, Banwo argued that while Abia State has recorded some progress in specific sectors, the government’s media machinery has inflated limited achievements into what he called “statewide miracles,” creating a disconnect between online narratives and lived realities.
Banwo, who said he initially viewed Governor Otti as a symbol of hope following the 2023 elections, noted that his concerns emerged after engaging residents and professionals living in Abia to verify widely circulated claims about infrastructure, power supply, healthcare, and transportation.
Central to Banwo’s critique is the portrayal of Abia as a state with uninterrupted electricity. He acknowledged the existence of the Aba ring-fenced power arrangement involving Aba Power and Geometric Power but argued that the arrangement has been misrepresented as statewide energy independence.
According to him, extending the Aba power project to represent the entire state amounts to misinformation, especially given acknowledged outages and the limited geographical coverage of the scheme.
He further questioned claims that Abia was the first state to assume intrastate electricity regulation, stating that other states, including Lagos State, had taken similar steps earlier.
Banwo also raised concerns over viral claims suggesting that biogas facilities are already powering Abia communities, arguing that pilot projects have been prematurely presented as fully operational infrastructure.
He noted that residents he spoke with were largely unaware of any functional biogas-powered communities, stressing that government announcements should be backed by publicly available data on scale, output, and sustainability.
On healthcare, the founder of Naija Lives Matters (NLM) questioned reports that Abia offers free medical care to all citizens above 60 years of age for life, describing the claim as unverified and unsupported by legislation, budgetary provisions, or formal policy documents.
Similarly, he criticised claims suggesting that electric vehicles operate widely across the state and that all roads have been tarred, describing such assertions as exaggerated and misleading.
The self-acclaimed Mayor of Fadeyi argued that the core issue is not the absence of development but what he described as a governance style driven by social media optics rather than transparent performance metrics.
He warned that excessive reliance on viral content, influencers, and unverified claims risks eroding public trust and undermining accountability, noting that effective governance requires data, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
“A serious government does not need to exaggerate results,” Banwo said, adding that citizens require reliable services, not slogans.
He also advised the Abia government to avoid constant comparisons with states like Lagos and its governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urging the administration to focus instead on publishing verifiable performance records.
Banwo challenged the Otti administration to release clear documentation supporting its claims, including power coverage maps, healthcare policy instruments, infrastructure project lists, and implementation timelines.
He concluded that while Abia State has not “collapsed,” the growing gap between online narratives and on-ground realities could become more damaging than infrastructural deficits if left unaddressed.
Banwo Accuses Alex Otti Administration of Governance by Propaganda
