November 11, 2023 NewsOrient
Law, Society, News Investigation Desk. From Kelechi Eke

Abia State Government has expressed serious concern over recent allegations of bribery and other forms of process distortions by some students and their parents in their bid to gain admissions into Abia State owned nursing schools.

Reacting, the government vowed to diligently investigate the corruption allegations and bring to book any official found culpable.

A press statement dated November 11, 2023, signed by Mr. Dodoh Okafor, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communication, and titled, “Allegations Of Corruption And Process Distortions In Admissions Into The State Nursing Schools And Related Issues,” reads:

“The Abia State Government wishes to acknowledge the grievances expressed by certain students and parents, who were involved in the recent Preliminary Test Sessions (PTS) examinations into nursing schools owned by the state government.

“Being a government that is responsive and sensitive to the feelings of its citizens, the administration is seriously concerned by the allegations of bribery and other forms of process distortions as the affected students and their parents have publicly made.

“Even then, responsible governments all over the world, it must be noted, act only on facts and established evidence, and not on hearsay and conjectures.

“As the officials who addressed the protesting students and parents in front of the Abia State Government House Umuahia on Thursday directed, the students and their parents are now required to write a formal petition to His Excellency, the Governor of our dear state, Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, stating all the issues and providing reliable, foolproof evidence to substantiate their allegations.

“Such petitions should reach the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor as quickly as they can be properly put together.

“We assure that every allegation would be painstakingly investigated and all accused called to present their side of the story. Nobody will be shielded and nothing will be swept under the carpet.

“Governor Alex Otti is committed to running a transparent and sincere administration where international standard practices would be adhered to in all issues regarding service delivery.

He had already directed that nobody should honour any illegitimate request allegedly coming from him.

The Governor had severally emphasised that his only interest in the admissions process in institutions owned by the state is for the rules of meritocracy to be followed.

Whether at ABSU medical or law schools, the governor had made it clear that he has no candidate neither does he have any list.

We therefore encourage all who believe that something had gone wrong in the admission process into the nursing schools to put their facts together and present to the government as well as be ready to follow up by appearing to testify when called upon.

Nobody will be victimised in any way for stating what they know to be true.

In the New Abia, allegations of corruption and dishonesty in service delivery will never be swept under the carpet and nobody who attempts to short-change hardworking Abians of what is due them will be spared. This is a new regime and the ways of the past shall no longer hold.

As we have requested severally, if you have evidence of corruption, extortion or acts of dishonesty against any official of this present government in the state, please kindly bring it forward. We are committed to sincere and honest services, in line with the electoral expectations of the people who voted in Dr. Alex Otti into office.

Nobody who attempts to use public office to pursue private gains will remain in the new system for long.

Finally, we invite you to keep supporting the government, certain that the only thing that matters in the New Abia is serving the interests of the public.”

NewsOrient