Travel Agency Files Petition Against Reps Member Over Alleged N19m Debt

A member of the House of Representatives representing Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku Federal Constituency of Cross River State, Peter Akpanke, has been petitioned over an alleged unpaid travel debt of more than N19.15m arising from the procurement and reissuance of international and local airline tickets.

The petition, addressed to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and obtained by our correspondent, was written by Ohanele Udokanmma, solicitor to Johnson Ugochukwu of Havilah Global Travels Limited, who accused the lawmaker of failing to settle outstanding payments despite repeated demands.

According to the petition, Akpanke engaged the travel agency on January 16, 2026, to procure three Business Class airline tickets to Rome for himself and two associates at a total cost of N24.48m.

The solicitor stated that the tickets were purchased with the agency’s funds at the request of the lawmaker. The petition further alleged that while in Rome on January 24, 2026, Akpanke requested the reissuance of the tickets for two of his companions at an additional cost of N5.79m.

It added that he subsequently requested the reissuance of another passenger’s ticket at a further cost of N1.52m. According to the petitioner, the total value of the international tickets rose to N31m.

The solicitor, however, acknowledged that the lawmaker made part payments, stating that he paid N10m before embarking on the trip and another N4m upon his return from Rome, bringing the total amount paid to N14m.

The petition stated, “The total amount our client received so far from Hon. Peter Akpanke was N14,000,000 with a balance of N17,794,468 from N31,000,000.”

It also alleged that the travel agency later procured an additional local airline ticket for the lawmaker valued at N1.36m, which also remains unpaid. Cumulatively, comprising the outstanding international ticket balance and the local ticket, the petitioner claimed that Akpanke is indebted to the agency in the sum of N19,154,468.

The petition further alleged that all efforts to recover the debt had failed. The solicitor wrote, “Owing to the above facts, Hon. Peter Akpanke is now indebted to our client in the sum of N19,154,468.

“Our client has made repeated demands for the payment of these sums of money due to him as debt from Hon. Peter Akpanke, which he has refused, failed and neglected to pay, with the sole aim of not paying our client his money.”

The solicitor urged the authorities to investigate the matter, saying, “We hereby indulge you to please use your good office to investigate the matter such that justice should be done.”