Mascot Kalu Knocks Otti’s N1trn Budget As ‘Fantasy Spending’ Without Economic Foundation

Sir Mascot Uzor Kalu, the Abia state governorship aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has seriously criticised Governor Alex Otti’s newly announced 2026 budget, describing it as a “gamble” and an “economic roadmap built without a foundation.”

The governor on Tuesday presented a budget exceeding one trillion naira, which first of its kind in the South East.

But Kalu argues that for a state reporting just 20 billion naira in monthly revenue, this trillion-naira plan is wildly unrealistic.

Speaking with authority, Kalu said, “Abia cannot be governed with fantasies and fictional figures. Governance is not a theatre for inflated ambitions. It is the solemn duty of aligning needs with capacity, desires with reality, and development with credible resources.”

He recalled how the 2025 budget had already stretched the limits of prudence.

The administration kicked off with 752 billion naira, then requested an extra 150 billion midyear, totalling 900 billion, yet there were no visible improvements in rural hospitals, water supply, roads, or electricity.

“No single youth nor healthcare development programme to justify such heavy spending,” he noted.

Kalu challenged the government to explain how it plans to fund the 2026 budget, highlighting fears that massive borrowing could push the state further into debt.

“Abians deserve clarity on where such colossal revenue will come from and how debts will be managed,” he said.

The former Chief of Staff insisted that ambitious budgets are welcome, but only if they are balanced, transparent, and backed by results on the ground.

He called for accountability, urging Governor Otti to provide a clear breakdown of revenue sources, debt management strategies, and economic safeguards.

Kalu warned the state’s future should not be mortgaged to political showmanship or “experimental economics.”

For him, Abia needs a realistic, sustainable, and accountable fiscal plan, not numbers designed for headlines.