Speaking at a reception for the Attorney-General of Abia State, Ikechukwu Uwanna, SAN, in Isuikwuato on Saturday, Otti said that true Igbos are not known for dishonesty.

He challenged those attributing the roads his administration constructed to previous governments, suggesting their Igbo identity should be questioned.

Otti stressed that his government remains committed to delivering more projects for the people of Abia as the best way to respond to opposition criticism.

He accused the opposition of spreading falsehoods about ongoing and completed projects, saying, “You cannot see a road that was built and claim it wasn’t. You cannot take credit for someone else’s work. If you do that, you are not an Igbo man.

“For us, we don’t even want to respond with words. Our answer is more work. One thing is certain: this is your government,” he said.

The governor also expressed gratitude to All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, for publicly supporting his administration’s achievements.

He further described Attorney-General Uwanna as a key pillar of his government.

The intercontinental clash, originally scheduled for March 28, was set to feature UEFA Euro 2024 winners Spain against Argentina, champions of the 2024 Copa América. The match had initially been planned for March 27 in Doha, Qatar.

UEFA stated that the fixture could not go ahead due to the current political situation in the Middle East.

“Due to the ongoing political situation in the region, the Finalissima, originally scheduled for Qatar on March 27, cannot take place as planned,” the governing body said.

The organisation added that both teams were unable to compete because of timing and logistical constraints, despite efforts to preserve the match.

The Finalissima, jointly organised by UEFA and CONMEBOL, brings together the champions of Europe and South America. The inaugural edition in 2022 saw Argentina defeat Italy 3-0 at Wembley Stadium.

In attempts to save the 2026 showdown, UEFA explored several alternatives. One option was keeping the original date but moving the match to Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, with a 50 per cent ticket allocation for each team’s fans. Argentina rejected this proposal.

Another idea was to turn the Finalissima into a two-legged tie, with the first match in Madrid and a return leg in Buenos Aires at a later date, but this was also declined.

UEFA further considered staging the match at a neutral European venue on either March 27 or March 30, but no agreement was reached.

Argentina later suggested holding the fixture after the World Cup, but Spain’s schedule made that impossible.

Originally scheduled in the Jordanian capital, the matches have been moved to Antalya over security concerns and regional movement restrictions.

Nigeria will open their two-match schedule against Iran on Friday, 27 March, before facing Jordan four days later on Tuesday, 31 March. Both games will now take place in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya instead of Amman.

On 27 March, Nigeria meet Iran, while Jordan faces Costa Rica. The round concludes on 31 March with the Super Eagles against Jordan, and Iran against Costa Rica.

The friendlies provide the Super Eagles’ coaching staff an opportunity to fine-tune the squad and evaluate options ahead of upcoming international fixtures.

Similarly, Iran, Jordan, and Costa Rica are expected to use the matches to sharpen their squads as attention turns toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Although Iran have qualified for the World Cup, reports indicate they may withdraw due to the ongoing conflict with Israel, which also involves one of the co-hosts, the United States.