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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has explained the absence of President Bola Tinubu’s portraits in some offices at the Government House in Umuahia.
Otti was reacting to some online reports over the absence of the president’s portraits in some places within the Abia State Government House.
The governor came under heavy criticism last week after a picture of him at the Government House, without the president’s portrait at the background went viral.
However, Otti dismissed claims that the absence of the portrait was due to his administration’s non-recognition of Tinubu as Nigerian president.
A statement issued on Saturday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the state government had the president’s portraits in some offices but not in all, adding that same applies to the governor as well.
“We don’t have the governor’s portraits in most offices because this is a new government. We have placed some pictures and ordered for 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. 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,” he said.
He alleged that media reports claiming Otti doesn’t recognise Tinubu as president were sponsored by the oppositions in the state to discredit the governor.