Delta: Forum of Ex-Aspirants Accuses Takeme of Misappropriating ₦23.7B FG Allocation, Vows to Drag Him to EFCC, ICPC

By Monday Peters, Abuja

Pandemonium as aggrieved twenty former PDP chairmanship aspirants in the 2024 Burutu Local Government council election have threatened to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC to investigate and arrest the council chairman Mr Julius Takeme for alleged misappropriation of over N23.7 billion allocated to the council from July 15, 2024 to 2025 and 2026 fiscal years, while accusing the incumbent Chairman of financial recklessness and zero development, added that the new secretariat and legislative complex projects that were still at DPC levels after two years can’t amount to N3 billion naira.

The Forum In a press statement signed on behalf of the 20 aspirants by Hon. Jude Angodideke, Hon. Paul Oruma, Hon. Duncan Tamaradoubra Forcados, Chief Godspower Tomone, Hon. Chief. Lucky Feizy Oweimieotu, Hon. Stephen Eniekezimene and Hon. Comrade Ozobo Austin demanded accountability and transparency over the management of the council’s funds by Takeme led administration, noting that Burutu LGA has become the “worst hit by neglect and maladministration” despite receiving massive federal allocations under Takeme’s regime.

“N23.7 BILLION WITH NOTHING TO SHOW”

According to the group, the Burutu council earmarked N8.7 billion in the 2025 budget and has been budgeting N15 billion for 2026, while from July 15, 2024 to December 2024, the huge allocation was spent without a budget, Despite all these huge allocations, there were no visible projects, empowerment, employment, or basic infrastructure to justify the spending.

“We are calling on all Burutu sons and daughters, leaders, critical stakeholders, traditional rulers, youth groups and civil society to force the imposed council chairman Julius Takeme to give a public account of how 2024 allocation, N8.7 billion budget in 2025 and how almost over half of the N15 billion budget of the 2026 were spent,” the aspirants queried.

“Where is the money? Our schools are still bad, no teachers and seats. The communal roads are impassable, no water projects and youths empowerment. Flooding is ravaging our communities. Health centers have no drugs and staff. But allocations are coming in every month. This is unacceptable.”

“The council is receiving huge from federal allocations, subsidy allocation, excess crude, IGR from forcados terminal. There is enough money to run projects and oversight. But nothing is happening. He is heartless and not fit for public office.”

The sum of over N8.7 billion was received by Burutu Local Government Council as a statutory allocation in 2025. This is exclusive of subsidy funds, excess crude revenue, and IGR.
No comprehensive account has been rendered on the expenditure of these funds.
“The chairman operates a system where councilors are denied information on council finances. The situation is regrettable,”the aspirants lamented.

The chairman deliberately withheld information on all revenues received from July to December 2024 — covering statutory allocation, subsidy funds, IGR, and excess crude.

The aspirants described the current administration as the worst in Burutu’s history in terms of accountability, transparency and relationship with stakeholders.

“We cannot continue like this. Burutu is a riverine LGA with peculiar challenges of flooding, lack of access roads, and youth unemployment. Yet the man in charge has abandoned governance,” they said.

They accused Takeme of running a one-man show, refusing to carry stakeholders along, and operating the council without regard for due process.

The group warned that if Takeme fails to render accounts, they will mobilize the people for a mass action.

“We are planning a major political move that will shock the chairman and the APC party. But before then, we are calling on Governor Oborevwori to urgently intervene,” they said.

“You cannot ask people to sacrifice and then abandon them. If the governor means well for the party, he should create room to engage us and also compel Takeme to open the books of Burutu Council.”

They further urged the Delta State House of Assembly, EFCC, and ICPC to investigate the council’s finances between July 15, 2024, 2025 and 2026.