GOVERNOR OTTI SLAMS SPEAKER EMEREUWA, SAYS ABIA LAWMAKERS EARN OVER ₦6M MONTHLY

The rift between the Abia State Executive and the House of Assembly has intensified following Governor Alex Otti’s strong rebuttal of claims by Speaker Emmanuel Emereuwa that lawmakers are financially constrained under the current administration.

Responding through his Media Adviser, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Governor Otti described the Speaker’s claims as false, stating that each member of the Abia State House of Assembly earns over ₦6 million monthly, excluding constituency project funds. He added that Abia lawmakers are the highest paid in the South-East, a claim he said is verifiable.

While the governor did not disclose the exact amount allocated as security vote to the Speaker’s office, sources within the legislature say dissatisfaction persists among some lawmakers over limited discretion in the use of such funds, a situation reportedly fueling internal tension.

According to insiders, expectations surrounding the utilisation of security votes have created quiet unease within the House, although the disagreements have largely remained behind closed doors without open confrontation.

As the dispute deepens, the exchange has gone beyond routine institutional disagreement, exposing wider cracks in executive-legislative relations in Abia State. There are also indications of moves against Speaker Emereuwa, with some lawmakers reportedly considering the ongoing tension as an opportunity to challenge his leadership.