Abia State Governor Alex Otti has reacted to the ongoing strike action by members of the Abia State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, saying that the union’s leaders have refused to credit the workers with over three hundred million naira released by his administration.

Otti, who spoke at Queen Elizabeth Chapel in Umuahia on Sunday during the 2025 Armed Forces Celebration service, said his attention was drawn to newspaper reports where the NBA had advised him to pay judiciary workers.

Otti, who said that his administration is not owing workers, explained that leaders of JUSUN refused to participate in a minimum wage negotiation organised by his administration but opted to prepare their own calculations in their office, which he said was discovered to be filled with errors.

According to him: “On the 24th of December, we remitted N283,242,318.50 to the judiciary.

“Interestingly, as of this morning, they have refused to pay their workers. Now, the judiciary is an arm of government that is independent. Our job is to remit the money to their account, and their job is to pay their workers.”

Otti said that he approved an additional N27 million for the judiciary workers and paid their thirteenth-month salary, wondering why they remained on strike.

The governor advised judiciary workers to hold their union leaders responsible and also advised the Nigerian Bar Association to properly understand the situation.

He used the church service to reassure the retired and serving men of the Nigerian Armed Forces that his administration would continue to support them.

In his remarks, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Legion, Commodore Ekekwe Duroha (retd), said surviving ex-servicemen and widows of retired officers should be assisted in this hard economic situation.

The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the state government have resorted to name-calling.
The disagreement may not be unconnected to the speculation surrounding Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s rumoured defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to APC.

While APC stated that its party is “not a rehabilitation camp for failed politicians” and that it is uninterested in political opportunism or party affiliations driven by personal gains, the state government responded by claiming that APC is only attempting to survive through unintelligent propaganda, which it is currently engaged in.

A statement signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, described Governor Oborevwori’s tenure as being marred by underperformance, widespread disappointment, and an inability to deliver meaningful development to the people of Delta State.

The statement emphasised that while APC respects the right of individuals to associate with a political party of their choice, it is unconcerned about the governor’s potential defection, given his alleged lack of tangible achievements since assuming office.

While acknowledging the governor’s occasional praise of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s developmental strides, APC accused Governor Oborevwori of squandering Delta State’s resources, despite receiving over N50 billion in federal allocations monthly.

“Governor Oborevwori’s tenure has been marred by underperformance, widespread disappointment, and the inability to deliver meaningful development to the people of Delta State. Deltans are disillusioned by the glaring failures of this administration, and we remain steadfast in our mission to bring sustainable development through visionary leadership,” APC said.

However, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza, the Delta State Commissioner for Information, reacted by saying: “The Delta APC is living in crippling fear of him, so we can understand why they have become sleepless and incontinent. They are only hoping to survive through unintelligent propaganda, as they are currently engaged in. Pitifully for them, e no go work.”

Billionaire businessman Prince Arthur Eze has urged President Bola Tinubu to forgive the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Eze said that, unlike former President Muhammadu Buhari, who detained Kanu, Tinubu has a spirit of forgiveness and harbours no enemies.

Speaking with journalists in Enugu, the notable industrialist also stated that Tinubu means well for the Igbo nation, as evidenced by his recent actions regarding the Southeast.

Eze said these measures were an indication that Tinubu loves the Southeast.

According to Eze: “We need to thank the President for his concerns towards addressing the infrastructure gaps in the Southeast region.

“We have to thank Tinubu for establishing the Southeast Development Commission, SEDC.

“Remember, we have clamoured for this commission since the end of the Nigeria-Biafra war without success.

“It is only Tinubu who has demonstrated his love for us by establishing this commission. That commission will solve our problem.

“Nnamdi Kanu was detained by Buhari, not Tinubu. Buhari is a hardliner. But we shall beg Tinubu to forgive him. He has the spirit of forgiveness. He has no enemy.”

Kanu has been detained since he was rearrested in Kenya and subjected to extraordinary rendition back to Nigeria.

Since returning to Nigeria, courts have dismissed all the charges against the IPOB leader, but the Nigerian government has refused to release him.

However, several relevant stakeholders in the Southeast have been clamouring for Tinubu to release Kanu.

Last year, the Southeast governors expressed willingness to meet with Tinubu in a bid to push for Kanu’s release.