…allegations false, baseless — Council boss
A major political crisis is brewing in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State as the legislative arm moves against the Council Chairman, Hon. Ikechukwu Ogboffia, over allegations of high-handedness, abuse of power, and political intolerance.
The development followed a petition signed by 11 out of 12 councilors and addressed to the State Governor, alleging that the council boss had sidelined them and other key stakeholders in the governance of the local government. The letter, made available to journalists, detailed several grievances against the chairman, which the councillors said had crippled legislative participation and development at the grassroots.
They accused the chairman of “loss of relevance of elected councillors, exclusion from governance, communication breakdown, diversion of palliative materials, favoritism, electoral registration bias, neglect of development projects, unfulfilled promises, legislative complex decay, unexecuted budget items, unpaid entitlements, lack of constituency projects, disrespect, humiliation and poor welfare.
“It is regrettable and unfortunate that the chairman transferred ward mobilization duties to his Special Assistants, rendering us powerless in our constituencies. Apart from that, we are routinely ignored during ward and community meetings,” the councillors alleged.
They also accused the chairman of deliberately sidelining them in the distribution of Christmas palliatives.
“The chairman in his usual manner refuses to answer or return calls, even in emergencies. Despite the Governor’s directives on Christmas rice distribution, the Chairman grossly violated his orders, with us and other communities receiving less than half of what was approved,” they stated.
The councillors further alleged that the Governor’s youth program (FON) was concentrated in the chairman’s ward, Abaomege, while other wards were left out.
“Abaomege ward monopolizes registration buses while other wards are marginalized. In over a year now, only the chairman’s ward has benefited from government projects despite a ₦12 billion budget,” they alleged.
They also raised concerns about the ₦100 million earmarked for the renovation of the legislative chambers.
“There has been repeated appeals for ward-level projects yet it has not yielded anything. The ₦100 million budgeted for renovation of the legislative chamber remains unaccounted for while the chamber is in disrepair,” the councillors lamented.
Other grievances include the failure to provide a legislative bus, non-payment of five months’ legislative votes (LV) stipends, and failure to implement constituency projects contained in the 2025 budget.
“Despite multiple promises by the Chairman to provide us with a legislative bus, none has been provided, while the chairman enjoys luxury vehicles. The Councilors’ 3-bedroom bungalow projects in the 2025 budget remain untouched till date. As at today, we are owed five months of legislative votes stipends. It is also disheartening that no councilor has delivered any infrastructure project, unlike their predecessors,” they stated.
They also accused the chairman’s aides of openly disrespecting them.
“We are also excluded from event committees and often embarrassed by the chairman’s aides. Our remuneration is so meager and irregular, with minimal transport allowances even for official functions,” the councillors added.
Council Boss Denies Allegations
However, when contacted, Hon. Ikechukwu Ogboffia dismissed the allegations as false and baseless. He insisted that he enjoys a cordial relationship with the councillors, describing those behind the petition as a few disgruntled elements seeking to tarnish his image.
Speaking through his Public Relations Officer, Mr. Omekannaya Orogwu, the council boss said:
“The allegations leveled against the Chairman by councilors of the council are baseless and unfounded. I still doubt if the document emanated from the councillors because currently, the legislative leader of the house has been pleading and denying the document. From the number one content till the end of the letter is baseless.”
On the claim that all government projects were sited in Abaomege ward, the chairman refuted the allegations:
“Let’s start from the allegations that he cited the entire government project in Abaomege ward — it is not true. The only project of the council sited at Abaomege is the ongoing shopping mall close to the flyover there and one attempted construction of a bridge. As we speak, we have some financial challenges, so that of the bridge is not going well. Anybody accusing the local government chairman of citing everything at Abaomege is unfair because, for the past 20 years, no project from the council has been cited there.”
He also denied claims of diverting palliative materials or sidelining councillors from their functions.
“On the issue of replacing them in their duties, it is a lie. The chairman has never denied them any entitlement and it is not his duty to make them relevant to their people,” he said.
“On the palliative diversion, it is a plot to tarnish the image of the chairman. You know the next election is around the corner and there are many people interested in the position of the chairman, so they will be coming up with stories like this to damage his image,” Orogwu added.
Reacting to the allegation of the ₦100 million for the legislative chamber, he said:
“The truth is that whoever came out with such allegations is not telling the world the truth. Was the money, if it is true, meant for a new building or to renovate and furnish the legislative chambers? I can tell you that there is ongoing renovation at the legislative chambers, so the issue of ₦100 million for a new building is not in my capacity to answer.”
It would be recalled that the councillors have officially submitted a petition to Governor Francis Nwifuru and other key political stakeholders in the state, expressing their deep dissatisfaction with the leadership style of Hon. Ikechukwu Ogboffia. The petition, signed by 11 out of the 12 councillors, is seen by political observers as the first major step towards a possible impeachment process in the council.
