Fresh details have emerged on the deepening crisis rocking Burutu Local Government Council in Delta State, with the recent release of ₦2.5 million to each councillor for constituency projects exposing what insiders describe as a prolonged breakdown in the relationship between the council chairman and the legislative arm.
Findings by journalists indicate that the payment, approved on July 16, 2026, for 2025 constituency projects has done little to calm tensions, as councillors reportedly view the amount as a departure from Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s directive that every councillor should receive at least ₦10 million for constituency projects.
A senior council official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the funds were only released after the intervention of the member representing Burutu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Julius Pondi.
The source said the disagreement over constituency project funds is only one aspect of a wider conflict that has strained relations between the executive and legislative arms of the council.
According to the official, the chairman has been accused of executing major projects without obtaining legislative approval, despite the House approving the council’s annual budgets.
“The budgets were passed, but specific projects and their costs were never brought before the legislature for approval before funds were committed,” the source alleged.
Among the projects cited is the ongoing council secretariat complex, which the source claimed is being executed by a contractor whose identity has not been disclosed to the legislative arm.
The official further alleged that nearly 87 per cent of the funds earmarked for two major projects had already been released, despite what he described as the absence of legislative oversight.
The source also alleged that the chairman personally awarded the contracts to himself through proxies and failed to follow due bidding process.
Beyond project execution, the source alleged that councillors have repeatedly complained about the non-release of statutory running costs, forcing many of them to finance official legislative activities from personal resources.
Financial records available to the council show that Burutu Local Government operated an approved budget of ₦8.7 billion in 2025 and over ₦15 billion in 2026. However, the source alleged that several capital projects were undertaken without the level of legislative scrutiny required under local government financial procedures.
The source further disclosed that attempts by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Fidelis Tilije and the Delta State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Chief Kanemala Penawou to reconcile both arms of the council had failed to resolve the impasse.
According to the official, the prolonged disagreement has affected the smooth administration of the council and created concerns over accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
The source appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to order an independent investigation into the council’s financial activities and administrative processes, insisting that only a thorough probe would restore confidence in governance at the local government.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Burutu Local Government chairman were unsuccessful before this report was filed as terse and WhatsApp messages sent to his number were not replied. His response will be published when received.
