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Local government

Petition Against Otukpo LG Chairman Over Gross Financial Misconduct

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Legislators in Benue State's Otukpo local government council have petitioned the State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, and the State House of Assembly over alleged misappropriation of funds and gross misconduct by the council chairman, Prince Maxwell Ogiri. The petition, dated June 17, 2025, was signed by 11 legislators and listed a litany of weighty misconducts against the chairman, including financial recklessness, blackmail, and the diversion of motorcycles donated by the state governor.

Key Takeaways:

  • The petition accused Prince Maxwell Ogiri of misappropriating funds, including N13 million, by asking councilors to pay N1 million each for their electoral appeal court in Abuja.
  • The chairman was also accused of operating an illegal online bank account through Alternative Bank, printing revenue receipts without due approval, and paying internally generated revenue into his personal accounts using a PoS belonging to his personal assistant.
  • The legislators alleged that Ogiri had been ignoring financial rules and regulations by spending public funds accruable to the legislative council, contravening section 87, subsection 3 of the Benue State Local Government Law 2007.
  • The petitioners asserted that Ogiri had been blackmailing the Governor and using his name to swindle councilors, and that he had prevented them from meeting with a three-man peace committee sent to the local government by the state leadership of the All Progressives Congress.
  • The embattled chairman, Prince Maxwell Ogiri, indicted the Auditor General for Local Government, whom he claimed gave him the advice to operate the Revenue Accounts with Online Banks.

Statistics:

  • N13 million allegedly misappropriated by Prince Maxwell Ogiri.
  • 11 legislators signed the petition against the chairman.
  • 40 thugs reportedly brought by the chairman to disrupt a legislative sitting.
  • N13 million reportedly demanded from 13 councilors by Prince Maxwell Ogiri as payment for their electoral appeal court in Abuja.

Sources:

  • Petition Against the Executive Chairman Otukpo LG, Prince Maxwell Ogiri Over Gross Financial Misconduct (unsigned, date unknown)
  • The Nigerian Herald (date unknown)
  • Benue State Government (date unknown)

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