Aba Cargo Airport: Abia Govt denies Gov Otti sued FG in World Court

The Abia State Government has dismissed social media reports claiming that Governor Alex Otti instituted legal action against the federal government at a so-called “World Court” over the approval of a cargo airport in Aba.

In a statement on Tuesday, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, described the story as fabricated and “reckless in intent,” stressing that Governor Otti has not approached, petitioned, or engaged any international court against the federal government on aviation matters or any other issue.

“For the avoidance of doubt, issues relating to aviation infrastructure approvals in Nigeria are clearly defined within national regulatory and administrative frameworks,” Kanu said. “At no time has the Abia State Government contemplated, let alone initiated, any international litigation on such matters. The suggestion that a sitting governor would bypass constitutional processes to accuse Nigeria of ‘marginalization’ or genocide before an imaginary ‘World Court’ exposes the depth of desperation and irresponsibility of the authors of this propaganda.”

The commissioner further described claims that Otti accused Lagos of killing or denying rights to Igbos as “wicked lies calculated to inflame ethnic sentiments” and “drag the governor’s name into a dangerous web of falsehood.”

Kanu accused political opponents and “failed actors” of crafting the report as part of a coordinated smear campaign against the governor. “Having failed to counter performance with facts, they have now resorted to crude fabrication and outright lies,” he said.

The statement urged the public to disregard the report entirely and advised media practitioners to verify information from credible sources. It also warned that the state reserves the right to pursue legal action against individuals or platforms spreading falsehoods capable of undermining public confidence in government.

According to the statement, Governor Otti remains focused on rebuilding Abia State through lawful engagement with federal authorities and the implementation of sustainable development projects aimed at benefiting both the state and the nation.