A member of the House of Representatives, Peter Akpanke, is facing a petition over an alleged unpaid travel debt of more than N19 million.
The petition, submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was filed by a travel agency, Havilah Global Travels Limited, through its solicitor, Ohanele Udokanmma.
According to the petition, Akpanke engaged the agency in January 2026 to procure three business-class tickets to Rome valued at N24.48 million. The lawmaker allegedly requested multiple ticket reissuances during the trip, increasing the total cost to about N31 million.
The agency stated that Akpanke paid N14 million in two installments, N10 million before the trip and N4 million after returning, leaving an outstanding balance of nearly N17.8 million. It also claimed he owes an additional N1.36 million for a local flight ticket, bringing the total debt to about N19.15 million.
The petitioner said repeated efforts to recover the money failed and urged the ICPC to investigate.
However, Akpanke denied owing the stated amount. While admitting he has an outstanding balance, he described the N19 million claim as false.
“I’m not owing N19 million. I have some balance to pay, but it’s not up to that figure,” he said.
The lawmaker also questioned the motive behind the petition and its publicity, suggesting possible political undertones. He argued that owing money in a business transaction is not a criminal offence and insisted he has been making payments.
Akpanke added that he has maintained a long-standing business relationship with the agency and could provide proof of recent payments.
The ICPC has yet to comment on the petition.
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