Abia Councillor Quits Over Poor Funding As State Blocks Local Access To Funds

A leadership crisis has erupted in Abia State’s Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area after the council’s legislative leader, Hon. Victor Ngwakwe, resigned in protest over the alleged financial stranglehold by the state government.

Ngwakwe, who represented Osokwa Ward, said he was under pressure from residents to deliver essential services but could not do so because local governments were starved of funds. He accused the Abia State Government of breaching the 1999 Constitution and the Local Government Act by seizing council allocations and managing them directly from Umuahia.

According to him, all financial decisions and project executions were controlled by the Government House, leaving councillors powerless. He described the situation as unfair to the grassroots, who hold councillors responsible for projects they cannot finance or supervise.

Another councillor, who requested anonymity, confirmed Ngwakwe’s claims. He revealed that councillors receive only ₦240,000 monthly and are excluded from decisions about budgets, contracts, and project approvals. He said most councillors were unaware of how much money their councils received or how it was spent, calling the situation a total breach of local government autonomy.

The councillor linked Ngwakwe’s resignation to a recent social media post where the former legislative leader questioned how councils received over ₦400 million in allocations monthly while lawmakers got little to show for it. The post reportedly angered senior officials, leading to pressure for his resignation after weeks of internal tension.

He also described widespread sycophancy among councillors across the state, accusing many of prioritizing loyalty to political leaders over accountability to the people.

Ngwakwe’s exit has drawn attention to the state government’s handling of local government funds and renewed calls for transparency in the management of grassroots finances.

While the Abia State Government has yet to issue an official statement, insiders say the administration may soon face pressure to review its control over council allocations.

For now, the deputy leader of the Osisioma Ngwa Legislative Council has assumed leadership in an acting capacity, as the state’s councillors’ association remains silent on the unfolding crisis.