A former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has denied being indicted in any corruption-related matter.
He also affirmed his membership in the People’s Democratic Party.
The ex-governor was recently nominated by President Bola Tinubu for an ambassadorial position and is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Sunday PUNCH had analysed the nominees, spotlighting five surrounded by controversies.
In Ikpeazu’s case, our correspondent referenced a Premium Times report on a 2024 KPMG document.
The 359-page document, titled ‘Final Report: Provision of Process Review Services to Abia State Government,’ was said to have flagged financial irregularities under the former governor’s administration.
It was also reported that the state government submitted a copy of the document to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for possible prosecution of those indicted.
But responding in a statement on Sunday, Ikpeazu said the KPMG report was misrepresented.
In the statement, Ikpeazu’s media adviser, Enyinnaya Appolos, argued that no audit of Abia State’s accounts was carried out; rather, KPMG conducted only a process review.
He said, “What the current administration commissioned was a process review — not a financial audit, not a forensic investigation, and certainly not an indictment.”
According to him, the document explicitly stated that the assignment was not conducted in the capacity of a statutory auditor, nor was KPMG required to render any opinion on the state’s financial statements.
The document quoted by Appolos was addressed to the Abia State Governor and was sighted by our correspondent on Sunday.
The document, dated March 2, 2024, read in part, “This assignment was not performed by us in the capacity of a statutory auditor. Hence, this is not any form of financial statement audit of ABSG or any entity listed in the report. We are, therefore, not required to render an opinion on the financial statements of ABSG or any entity listed in the report.
“Rather, we have performed the procedures we considered appropriate in the circumstances and in line with the relevant KPMG methodology.
“We were also not required to review the adequacy or otherwise of the output of the prior or current external auditors and/or consultants of ABSG.”
KPMG added that it “did not conduct a trial or inquiry in the course of the assignment, act as a tribunal, commission of inquiry, or in any judicial or quasi-judicial role; perform any adjudicatory function whatsoever; or conduct any exercise aimed at determining whether any person was guilty or innocent of any offence.”
Appolos stressed that “a process review cannot ‘indict’ anyone. It merely evaluates procedural compliance. It cannot make findings of guilt or wrongdoing.”
He also dismissed claims that Ikpeazu diverted N1.9tn, describing it as impossible.
“Abia State under Ikpeazu did not generate or access up to N1tn in total revenue in eight years. How does someone divert what does not exist?” he added.
He noted that the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies had previously reviewed and dismissed as politically-motivated allegations of diversion of N10bn meant for the Abia Airport project.
Appolos noted that since leaving office in 2023, Ikpeazu had never been charged, prosecuted, or invited by any court over corruption allegations.
“Dr Ikpeazu served Abia State diligently for eight uninterrupted years and left office without legal or administrative blemish,” he added.
He also dismissed the notion that Ikpeazu had dumped the PDP for the APC.
Appolos said, “His Excellency Okezie Ikpeazu has never defected to the APC. He remains a card-carrying and loyal member of the PDP.
“Only three weeks ago, he attended the PDP stakeholders’ meeting held on 18 November 2025. Any suggestion that he joined the APC is not only false but easily disproved by public records and party officials.”
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