Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Innocent Chukwuma, has faulted the media attacks on Abia State Governor Alex Otti for his recent purchase of 20 Toyota-branded vans for security agencies in Abia State.

Chukwuma, who stated this on Friday at Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South LGA, during his visit to Abia State governor, Alex Otti, described Otti as the number one promoter of the Innoson brand.

“He’s the number one marketer of Innoson. Most of the vehicles bought by the government in this state, Abia, are Innoson vehicles and they are happy with the vehicles.”

He thanked Otti for his continued patronage and support.

On the current brouhaha that Otti shunned Innoson motors for Toyota, Chukwuma defended the governor, saying that Otti had placed an order for 20 security pick-up vans from his company, which the government needed urgently but were not available at that period of demand as Innoson had run out of stock at that period.

He noted that his company’s inability to supply the 20 vans at an urgent time of need may have informed the governor’s option for another brand, which, according to Chukwuma, should not earn Otti criticism.

The founder of Nigeria’s indigenous vehicle manufacturing company, who also used the visit to announce his company’s plans to establish a compressed natural gas (GNG plant in Abia for use by diesel and petrol vehicles, disclosed that IVM is presently negotiating with officials of the Abia State government to set up a servicing and vehicle repair center in the State.

Upon receiving the business mogul, Governor Otti promised to maintain his support for the Nigerian indigenous vehicle manufacturing company and disclosed that his administration has already purchased no fewer than 40 Innoson brands of vehicles.

He added that arrangements were ongoing to procure more vehicles, including 24 vehicles for members of the Abia State House of Assembly.

The Governor reminded the Innoson Chairman that his own (the Governor’s) official vehicle was still awaited from his company, which the carmaker quickly promised to deliver by next week.

He assured IVM of the Abia State government’s readiness to partner with the brand, saying that the initiatives would create jobs for Abia youths and contribute to the State’s economic growth.

The Daily Post recalls that Abia’s political space has been awash in the past four days with mountains of criticism from opposition members against Governor Otti’s purchase of Toyota vehicles for security agencies during the launch of Abia’s combined security outfit, Operation Crush.

The opposition members, including some PDP chieftains, had faulted the governor for shunning Innoson for another brand, despite the fact that he used Nigerian brands to campaign before his election as governor.