Tinubu’s Portrait: Abia Govt Debunks Media Reports

• Gov Otti’s Aide explains position 

BY ONYEKACHUKWU IBEZIM – Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has explained the absence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s portraits in some offices within the Government House in Umuahia, the State capital, as a mere administrative issue that is being sorted out.

Consequently, the governor dismissed insinuations that the development was a result of his administration’s perceived none recognition of Tinubu as duly elected Nigerian president.

Governor Otti spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, while reacting to reports in some online platforms attributing the president’s portraits absence in some Government House offices to political differences over the 2023 elections outcome.

Debunking such reports as misleading, Ekeoma said the State government already has Mr President’s portraits in some offices but not in all based on their availability.

The Media Aide further explained that the same also applies to the Governor’s portraits because the government was still expecting the supplies from the orders placed for them.

Ekeoma said; “We don’t have the governor’s portraits in most offices because this is a new government. We have placed some pictures and ordered more. It has nothing to do with politics.

“The day the Governor met with permanent secretaries we still had the former Governor Ikpeazu’s portrait in the banquet hall.”
According to the Special Adviser; “It is criminal to say that the person who was duly sworn in as president will not be recognised. It doesn’t make sense, and we don’t think it is in that direction.”

Fingering some unscrupulous elements as architects of the current rumours, Ekeoma claimed the misinformation in social media was sponsored by the oppositions in the state to discredit the new Labour Party (LP)-led Abia State administration.