By The Rock Media
The online space has been flooded with videos featuring Hon. Boniface Adie, Managing Director of Missouri Property Ltd., making allegations on Berekete Family Human Rights Radio. These claims suggest that Hon. Peter Akpanke, the Member representing Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku Federal Constituency, received N35 million in exchange for a contract award, only to renege on the agreement. While it is true that Hon. Adie, a real estate developer and Hon. Akpanke engaged in a legitimate business transaction in 2024, the alternative facts suggest that many of the circulating claims are not only inaccurate but appear deliberately misleading.
Hon. Akpanke acknowledges that he had a legitimate business transaction with Hon. Adie that involved N35 million. The business was an investment to enable Hon. Adie to partner with a contractor engaged in a capital project that he had facilitated in his Constituency. This amount was not, and could not have been, payment for the award of any contract. It is a settled principle in Nigeria’s governance framework that legislators at any level lack the authority to award contracts; that responsibility rests solely with the executive branch and designated procurement authorities.
The discussion was that upon completion of the project and disbursement of funds by the Federal Government, any profits would be shared between Hon. Adie and the contractor, a point Hon. Adie himself briefly referenced during his interview. Hon. Akpanke facilitated this legitimate partnership directly and in good faith, based on a longstanding, trust-based relationship with Hon. Adie. Both parties reasonably expected timely payment from the government following project execution. Unfortunately, these expectations have been met with challenges in the funding of capital projects under the 2024 and 2025 federal budgets.
However, while these payment delays have affected contractors nationwide and are by no means unique to this project, Hon. Akpanke fully recognises Hon. Adie’s legitimate right, as a businessman, to be concerned about the impact on his investment. This explains why when it became clear that Hon. Adie was unwilling to await the eventual release of funds by the government, he took steps to resolve the matter amicably and avoid any prolonged dispute by committing to refund the amount from his personal resources, and has, despite considerable effort and constraint, repaid N34 million of the N35 million advanced, with the most recent installment transferred on January 23rd, 2026; a payment that, regrettably, was not acknowledged until approximately 2:30 PM on January 26, 2026.
It is regrettable, though perhaps not entirely unexpected, that Hon. Adie has chosen not to acknowledge Hon. Akpanke’s genuine intent in facilitating the partnership or the personal effort he has made to make refunds, despite the federal government having yet to disburse payment to the contractor. Instead, a narrative has been presented that does not accurately reflect the facts of the matter. Nevertheless, Hon. Akpanke, who is currently out of the country on official duties, has already instructed his office to remit the outstanding N1 million without delay to ensure the full amount is settled promptly and in good faith.
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It is understandable that, in this political season, some people who feel threatened by Hon. Akpanke’s rising profile as one of the most effective and impactful first-term members of the 10th National Assembly may seek to discredit him through misrepresentation and distraction. Nevertheless, such efforts will not deter him as he remains fully committed to the transparent, diligent service and constituency-focused initiatives that have earned him the trust and goodwill of the people he represents.
This, to the esteemed public, especially the good people of Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku Federal Constituency, Hon. Akpanke respectfully urges you to disregard these politically motivated and factually inaccurate narratives circulating in the public domain, which appear driven by personal grievances rather than truth. He equally appeals to media practitioners and social media commentators to uphold the highest standards of professionalism by verifying facts from all relevant parties before amplifying claims that risk misleading or misinforming the public. Fairness, accuracy, and balance remain essential to healthy discourse and informed citizenship.
CAVEAT: Views expressed in this article are those of the author, The Rock Media, and do not reflect those of Converseer or its staff.
