Some constituents of Ideato Federal Constituency in Imo State have praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving 2,000 mini buses for the area under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Scheme, while expressing frustration over the alleged failure of their representative in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, to deliver the vehicles to the intended beneficiaries.
Chief Ferdinand Nwosu, President of the Ideato Progressive Alliance (IPA), said in an interview with journalists on Sunday that the presidential intervention offered a significant opportunity to improve transportation, stimulate economic activities and create jobs across the constituency.
Nwosu, however, said the initiative had become a source of anger and disappointment among residents because the buses had allegedly not been distributed despite an earlier directive that the exercise be completed before the first week of September 2026.
The controversy gained public attention on October 24, 2026, when Dr. Abdul Suleiman, Chairman of the Implementation Committee of the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Scheme, reportedly disclosed at the APC presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna that Ideato Federal Constituency had benefited from the presidential intervention and that funds had been released to a contractor nominated by the lawmaker more than four months earlier.
According to Suleiman, Tinubu approved the immediate disbursement for the procurement of 2,000 mini buses, alongside an additional ₦1 million for each beneficiary to facilitate conversion of the vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG).
Nwosu said the procurement and delivery process had been entrusted to the lawmaker, adding that Ideato people were still waiting for the vehicles and the accompanying financial support as October entered its final week.
He described the delay as a troubling development for a constituency whose constituents were expected to benefit directly from the federal government programme, insisting that the lawmaker owed the people an explanation.
Concerns have also been raised by some stakeholders in the federal constituency over the alleged quality and sourcing of the vehicles, with claims that contractors linked to the lawmaker had allegedly been searching mechanic villages and street markets in Onitsha, Nnewi, Enugu, Benin City and Port Harcourt for used vehicles instead of procuring brand-new buses reportedly expected to be imported from China.
The allegations, which however have not been independently verified, have prompted calls for transparency in the procurement process and assurances that the vehicles supplied will meet the quality standards intended under the scheme.
Nwosu and others called for the delivery of brand-new, roadworthy buses and full accountability for the funds committed to the programme, arguing that a federal government intervention intended to empower ordinary citizens should not be undermined by alleged procurement irregularities.
Others also expressed concern that the buses could be painted red and white, the colours associated with Ugochinyere’s political party, and presented to the public as his personal gifts rather than as vehicles provided under a federal government initiative.
They argued that the vehicles should be appropriately identified as part of the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Scheme, with clear acknowledgement of the Federal Government and the programme responsible for their provision.
They maintained that no elected representative should claim personal ownership of a public intervention, adding that beneficiaries deserved accurate information about the source of the buses and the conditions attached to their distribution.
The latest controversy has also revived memories among some Ideato people of truckloads of rice reportedly sent to the constituency by Tinubu two years ago, with critics alleging that the relief items were branded with Ugochinyere’s image without sufficient acknowledgement of the President’s role.
Mazi Cletus Ugbaja, a community leader from Arondizuogu, condemned the delay, describing it as an unacceptable failure of representation and demanding an explanation from the lawmaker.
“President Tinubu has approved 2,000 buses and ₦1 million for each beneficiary, yet our people are still waiting,” Ugbaja said, insisting that the intervention was a federal government benefit rather than a personal favour from their lawmaker.
Ugbaja questioned why the distribution had not been completed before the first week of September, as reportedly directed, and urged the lawmaker to ensure that beneficiaries received the vehicles and financial support approved under the scheme.
Mr. Chiedozie Umeji, a native of Akokwa, also recalled the earlier rice distribution controversy, accusing the lawmaker of attempting to take personal credit for a federal government intervention.
“We have not forgotten what happened when President Tinubu sent rice to our people,” Umeji said, alleging that the distribution had been delayed by disagreements before the relief items were eventually released.
Umeji further alleged that the rice was branded with the lawmaker’s image without adequate recognition of the President, adding that Ideato people would resist any attempt to turn the latest intervention into a personal political gesture.
Nze Okwuchukwu Offor, an elder from Urualla, expressed concern over allegations that used and potentially faulty vehicles were being considered for procurement, insisting that beneficiaries deserved buses that met the scheme’s intended standards.
“It is deeply troubling that, instead of ensuring that brand-new buses are procured as intended, there are allegations that people acting for the lawmaker are searching mechanic villages and streets in different cities for old and faulty scrap vehicles,” Offor said.
He called for an open procurement process and urged the relevant authorities to ensure that the buses delivered to Ideato were of acceptable quality, adding that the programme should not be used for personal or political enrichment.
Ambassador Mrs. Georgina Ukeje, a woman leader from Umueshi, warned against any alleged withholding of the ₦1 million approved for each beneficiary or any attempt to present the buses as personal gifts.
Ukeje said the financial support was intended for beneficiaries under the approved programme and should be released in accordance with its terms, while the vehicles should be properly identified as part of the President’s Renewed Hope intervention.
She also threatened that constituents would petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if evidence emerged that the buses or funds had been diverted, urging the relevant authorities to investigate any substantiated allegations.
The aggrieved constituents are demanding answers to several questions, including why the buses have allegedly not been delivered nearly two months after the reported deadline, whether the procurement process has complied with the programme’s requirements, and what arrangements are in place to ensure that each beneficiary receives the approved ₦1 million for CNG conversion.
While expressing appreciation to Tinubu for approving the intervention, they insisted that their gratitude should not prevent them from demanding accountability over its implementation.
They called on the lawmaker to explain the delay, clarify the procurement arrangements and ensure that the approved buses and accompanying funds reach the intended beneficiaries without further delay.
