By our reporter
A civic advocacy group in Anambra Central Senatorial District has raised alarm over an allegedly abandoned constituency project valued at ₦25 million, reportedly initiated under the office of Senator Victor Umeh. The group is now calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to launch an immediate investigation into what it describes as a gross misuse of public funds and betrayal of public trust.
The project, which was earmarked as part of Senator Umeh’s 2024 zonal intervention allocations, was reportedly designed to benefit communities across the senatorial zone. However, according to the group, Citizens for Accountability and Development (CAD), the project has been left uncompleted, with no clear explanation from the senator’s office or his legislative aides.
In a public statement issued on Thursday, the group accused the senator of abandoning the project after initial mobilization was made to contractors. They further alleged that the site has been inactive for months, with no signage, equipment, or personnel present—a situation they say points to either negligence or outright misappropriation of funds.
The group stated that this is not just an abandoned project but an insult to the people of Anambra Central who entrusted Senator Umeh with the mandate to represent their interests. They are calling on the EFCC and relevant anti-corruption bodies to urgently probe the handling of the ₦25 million allocation and hold all responsible parties accountable.
The group claimed that multiple requests for clarification or progress reports from the senator’s office have gone unanswered. They also lamented a lack of transparency around the selection of contractors and disbursement of project funds.
Citizens for Accountability and Development is also calling for a broader audit of all zonal intervention projects allocated to Anambra Central since 2023, alleging that several others may have suffered similar fates.
According to the group, constituency projects are meant to bridge the gap between federal policies and local development. When lawmakers abandon these responsibilities, it is the ordinary citizens who suffer the most. They have threatened to initiate a recall process against Senator Umeh if the matter is not properly addressed within the next 90 days.
As of the time of filing this report, Senator Victor Umeh has not issued any public statement regarding the allegations. Multiple attempts to reach his media aides and constituency office for comment were unsuccessful.
Senator Umeh, who represents Anambra Central under the platform of the Labour Party, has previously championed transparency and development-focused governance, making the current allegations particularly damaging.
The incident adds to the growing national concern over the rising number of abandoned constituency projects across Nigeria. Anti-corruption watchdogs and civil society organizations have long criticized the implementation of zonal intervention projects, which are often plagued by poor oversight, lack of community involvement, and politicized contract awards.
In 2024, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) reported that over 40 percent of constituency projects nationwide were either abandoned, non-existent, or only partially completed.
If verified, the abandonment of Senator Umeh’s ₦25 million project could become yet another example in Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to ensure accountability in public project execution.
