Crisis Brews in Burutu as Councillors Reject ₦2.5m Constituency Fund, Demand ₦10m

A political standoff is brewing in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State as councillors have reportedly rejected the release of ₦2.5 million each for constituency projects, insisting that the amount falls far short of an alleged directive by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori that each councillor should receive at least ₦10 million.

The dispute has heightened tensions between the legislative arm of the council and the council chairman, Chief Julius Takeme, with allegations of poor financial management, lack of transparency, and the exclusion of councillors from project implementation.

Sources within the council, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that despite the approval of the council’s annual budgets, major capital projects were executed without legislative oversight or approval. They also claimed that councillors have not received their statutory running costs, forcing many to finance legislative activities from personal funds.

According to the sources, the ₦2.5 million constituency project fund was released on July 16, 2026, following the intervention of the member representing Burutu Federal Constituency, Hon. Julius Pondi. However, the councillors reportedly declined to utilize the funds, arguing that the amount was insufficient to execute meaningful projects in their respective wards.

The sources further alleged that Burutu Local Government operated an approved budget of ₦8.7 billion in 2025 and over ₦15 billion in 2026, raising concerns over the distribution of projects across the council’s 11 wards. They claimed that most visible projects are concentrated in Burutu town, while many communities lack basic amenities such as boreholes, healthcare centres, public toilets, and other developmental projects.

The aggrieved officials also called on Governor Oborevwori to order an independent investigation into the council’s finances and administrative processes, saying such a probe would help restore public confidence and ensure accountability in the management of public funds.

At the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain the reaction of Burutu Local Government Chairman, Chief Julius Takeme, were unsuccessful.