Crisis Rocks Onicha LGA as Council Chairman Faces Impeachment Threat
By Alex Ifeanyi Oguta JP
The political atmosphere in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has become increasingly volatile, as a looming impeachment storm gathers around the embattled council chairman, Hon. Ikechukwu Ogboffia.
Sources close to the local council reveal that tensions have reached a tipping point. What began as quiet grumblings among councilors has evolved into open rebellion. Once united in service, the 12 councilors now find themselves disillusioned, alleging marginalization, neglect, and misgovernance by the chairman.
In what could be the beginning of a major political shakeup, 11 out of the 12 councilors have signed a “Notice of Distress”, addressed to key political stakeholders and calling for urgent intervention. The document outlines 15 critical grievances against Hon. Ogboffia’s leadership, ranging from administrative neglect to financial impropriety.
Key Allegations Against the Chairman Include:
Marginalization of Councilors: Ward mobilization roles have allegedly been transferred to the chairman’s Special Assistants, rendering elected councilors powerless in their constituencies.
Exclusion from Decision-Making: Councilors say they are routinely sidelined in governance processes, including community meetings.
Communication Breakdown: The chairman reportedly ignores calls and messages, even in times of urgency.
Diversion of Palliative Materials: Councilors allege irregularities in the distribution of state-provided relief materials, with less than half of the approved allocations reaching intended communities.
Favoritism: Development efforts and youth empowerment programs, including the Governor's Friends of the Nation (FON) initiative, are allegedly concentrated in the chairman’s ward—Abaomege—at the expense of others.
Unequal Electoral Registration Support: Only Abaomege reportedly had access to voter registration buses, disenfranchising other wards.
Developmental Neglect: Despite a ₦12 billion budget, other wards have seen no tangible projects for over a year.
Abandoned Promises: Repeated requests for local projects and services have gone unaddressed.
Legislative Complex in Ruins: ₦100 million budgeted for the renovation of the legislative chamber is unaccounted for, and the building remains in disrepair.
No Official Vehicle: Councilors lament that while the chairman rides in luxury, the legislative arm lacks a single official bus.
Stalled Housing Projects: Budgeted construction of three-bedroom bungalows for councilors remains unexecuted.
Unpaid Allowances: Councilors are reportedly owed five months of Legislative Vote (LV) stipends.
No Constituency Projects: Unlike their predecessors, current councilors claim they have not been able to deliver any constituency projects.
Disrespect and Intimidation: The chairman allegedly embarrasses councilors in public and excludes them from key event committees.
Poor Welfare: Remuneration is described as poor, irregular, and insufficient, with councilors struggling to meet official responsibilities.
In the signed document, the councilors urge Governor Francis Nwifuru and respected political stakeholders to intervene before the situation escalates. They stress that their intention is not to cause unrest but to restore fairness, respect, and their rightful constitutional roles in the local administration.
One insider disclosed that the councilors had initially convened in secrecy to deliberate on a possible course of action. However, their plans were allegedly leaked to the chairman by one of their own, leading to a confrontation during a hastily summoned meeting.
Instead of reconciliation, the chairman is said to have dismissed their concerns arrogantly, allegedly declaring his invincibility due to his close ties with the state’s power brokers.
The councilors have since gone underground, strategizing their next move. Sources say a legislative "hammer" is being sharpened, suggesting that impeachment proceedings may be imminent if no compromise is reached.
"The chairman must either bow or be buried under the weight of his own pride," one aggrieved councilor said anonymously.
As the political crisis deepens, all eyes are now on Ebonyi’s leadership and stakeholders to calm the storm before Onicha LGA slides further into instability.
