Fresh controversy has erupted around Ireti Kingibe after the lawmaker was petitioned to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission over allegations of a contract arrangement said to have cost a businessman millions.
The petition, now stirring political conversation, accuses the senator and one of her aides of collecting money under the promise of facilitating a Federal Government contract that the petitioner claims never existed.
At the center of the allegations is businessman Nonso Okafor, who, through his lawyer, Elochukwu Obi, is asking the anti-corruption commission to investigate what he describes as a deceptive scheme involving $65,000, reportedly equivalent to N118 million at the time.
According to the petition dated April 27, addressed to the ICPC chairman, the issue began in October 2024, when Okafor was allegedly approached by Osereme Omofoma, identified in the filing as Senator Kingibe’s senior legislative aide.
The petition claims the aide requested $100,000 on behalf of the senator to address urgent financial needs, while allegedly assuring the businessman the money would either be refunded in full or recovered through government contracts facilitated by the senator.
Though the full amount was not raised, the petitioner said Okafor eventually borrowed from friends after repeated pressure and was able to provide $65,000 in two installments.
He claimed he was assured a contract would materialize within weeks. But according to the petition, months passed without anything happening.
That, the petitioner argues, was when suspicions began.
After waiting beyond the promised timeline and receiving no contract offer, Okafor allegedly began demanding a refund, concluding there may never have been a contract to begin with.
The petition goes further, claiming that Senator Kingibe denied receiving the money and refused to repay it.
It also alleges that, after threats to involve law enforcement, only N50 million was later paid, described as a unilateral partial settlement, leaving an alleged N68 million unpaid.
Perhaps most explosive is the petitioner’s claim that the promise of a contract was never genuine, but a device used to collect money under false pretenses.
“Our client believes there were no contracts… the facilitation of contract was a deceitful gimmick,” the petition stated.
That allegation has now become the crux of the complaint before the ICPC.
The petitioner is asking the commission to determine whether any laws were broken and recover the outstanding balance allegedly owed.
As of the time the petition became public, Senator Kingibe had not responded to the allegations, and the ICPC has not confirmed whether a formal investigation has been opened.
That silence has only fueled public attention.
Given Kingibe’s growing political visibility and reformist image, the allegations have added an unexpected layer of scrutiny, especially as they touch on issues of trust, political influence and alleged misuse of access.
Still, at this stage, the claims remain allegations contained in a petition and have not been established in court.
That distinction is important. But politically, the development has already created ripples.
Because when accusations involve a senator, millions in disputed funds and claims of a contract that allegedly never existed, the questions tend to move fast.
And now attention turns to whether the ICPC will act, and what response may come from Senator Ireti Kingibe as the controversy unfolds.
