A fresh political disagreement has emerged in Abia State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) exchanged words over the welfare of civil servants, pensioners, and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members under the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
The APC has urged Governor Alex Otti to take immediate action to improve workers’ welfare, alleging that some civil servants in the state are still receiving salaries below the approved ₦70,000 national minimum wage.
In an open letter signed by the Abia State APC Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, the opposition party also called on the state government to clear outstanding gratuities owed to retired civil servants.
According to the APC, ensuring prompt payment of workers’ entitlements should remain a top priority for the administration.
The party further criticized what it described as the prolonged delay in implementing the governor’s promise to increase the monthly allowance of NYSC members serving in Abia State to ₦50,000.
The APC noted that the announcement was made more than a year ago but has yet to be fully implemented, urging the government to fulfill the commitment without further delay.
According to the opposition party, improving the welfare of civil servants, retirees, and corps members is essential to strengthening public confidence in the government and enhancing service delivery across the state.
However, the Labour Party dismissed the allegations, describing them as false, politically motivated, and an attempt to undermine Governor Otti’s administration.
In a statement issued by the Labour Party Publicity Secretary, Iroegbu Emenike, the ruling party insisted that Abia workers and pensioners are receiving their salaries and monthly pensions promptly, contrary to the claims made by the APC.
The LP maintained that the era when pensioners suffered prolonged delays in receiving their benefits had ended, adding that the current administration has made workers’ welfare a key priority.
The ruling party also questioned the APC’s criticism, arguing that many of its members were part of previous administrations that allegedly failed to address the welfare challenges facing workers and retirees over the years.
Responding to concerns about the NYSC allowance, the Labour Party explained that government announcements are usually followed by administrative processes before full implementation can take place.
According to the party, policy pronouncements require official procedures and approvals before they become operational, insisting that the APC was ignoring these administrative realities.
The latest exchange highlights the continuing political rivalry between the APC and the Labour Party in Abia State, with both parties presenting contrasting narratives over the state government’s handling of workers’ welfare, pension payments, and promised benefits for corps members.
