Abia Community Demands Suit Withdrawal over N1.3bn Road Project
The Niger Data Mobilisation Team and indigenes of Nkpa community in Abia State have issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and his former campaign Director-General, Trump Eke, to withdraw a defamation suit against public interest advocate Darlington Agoha over his criticism of the execution of the Nkpa Road project.
The group, led by Dixon Uwakwe, gave the ultimatum in Umuahia, accusing the plaintiffs of using litigation to intimidate a citizen who raised questions about a Federal Government-funded infrastructure project.
The dispute centres on the Nkpa Road project, reportedly financed with N1.3 billion from the Federal Government’s Ecological Fund. The community alleged that despite the substantial public funding, sections of the road remained incomplete and some completed portions had deteriorated, raising concerns about the quality and value delivered to residents.
Uwakwe said the community’s intervention was driven by the need for accountability over public expenditure and not merely the legal dispute involving Agoha.
“Mr. Darlington Agoha’s only crime was daring to demand basic accountability and transparency from the leadership of our constituency,” the group said in a statement.
The community alleged that Agoha had faced legal pressure for about two years after questioning the quality of work on the road, describing the defamation action as an attempt to discourage citizens from demanding explanations over publicly funded projects.
Counsel to Agoha, Vincent Nwabueze, also described the suit as an attempt to intimidate citizens who had raised concerns about the road project.
Nwabueze alleged that the contractor had been fully paid despite the road allegedly remaining incomplete, saying the condition of the road continued to impose hardship on residents.
However, Eke defended the decision to pursue the case, insisting that the allegations considered defamatory should be determined by the court.
“The matters that we feel are defamatory are before the court. It is left to the court to decide whether or not he has defamed me and the person of the Deputy Speaker,” Eke said.
He acknowledged Agoha’s right to protest against what he considered poor infrastructure delivery but maintained that he also had a right to seek legal redress if he believed his reputation had been damaged.
Responding to the 72-hour ultimatum, Eke said the community was entitled to express its position but insisted that the court would ultimately determine the dispute.
“They have a right to issue an ultimatum. It is part of our democratic culture. You will always have your say. The court will have its way,” he said.
The controversy has consequently shifted attention beyond the defamation suit to questions surrounding the implementation of the Nkpa Road project and the accountability of public funds allocated to it.
The community is demanding that the lawsuit be withdrawn and that concerns over the road’s execution be addressed transparently.
The allegations concerning the project and the parties remain contested, while the defamation suit is before the court for determination.