Delta 2021 Council poll: Ceding of Warri North Chairmanship Position is Illegal and Unconstitutional------Ukubeyinje

Delta 2021 Council poll: Ceding of Warri North Chairmanship Position is Illegal and Unconstitutional-------Ukubeyinje

Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, Delta State Governor

 

 

The alleged ceding of the Chairmanship position of Warri North Council in the forthcoming 2021 council polls in Delta State is illegal, baseless and unconstitutional because the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has not conducted the party primaries from where the party flag bearer would emerge.

 

A former Member of the Delta State House of Assembly representing Warri North, Hon. Misan Ukubeyinje made this assertion, Wednesday in Warri in a chat with Warri Voice Newspaper saying that “only a few minute persons without the requisite mandate and authority in Itsekiri land took that decision without involving critical stakeholders in the Council area.

 

Hon. Ukubeyinje who was a two-time Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources and also Lands and Surveys noted that despite the call by Dr. Emmanuel Iwetan Uduaghan, former Governor and Co-ordinator of the Co-ordinating Committee for the convention of critical stakeholders meeting to fine-tune arrangement for a PDP in-house selection of a consensus candidate for the PDP in the forthcoming council, no meeting was called but a few minute persons of Itsekiri extraction  met and allegedly concede the Chairmanship seat to one Smart Asekutu of Ijaw extraction.

 

Barr. Ukubeyinje said that decision is illegal, baseless and unconstitutional as the only proper way to do is the conduct of the party primaries and called on the State party exco and the Governor of the State, Sen, (DR) Ifeayin Okowa to conduct same to avert crisis, saying that the authors of the chairmanship concession agenda are only bent on creating unwarranted crisis in the council and make it ungovernable for Governor Okowa.

 

According to him, conceding the Chairmanship to Ijaws is not a panacea for peace but a recipe for maximum chaos that the council is noted for during local government polls, adding that “decision of such magnitude can only be taken by His Majesty the Olu of Warri in –Council after a critical stakeholders meeting with the relevant authorities”.

 

“As a critical stakeholder and legal adviser to PDP in Warri North no such meeting of critical stakeholders was called. Therefore for anybody or group to say one Ijaw candidate has been picked and a PDP nomination form also issued to him is not only illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional but smacks of imposition with impunity and insult to our collective conscience as a people. This is a democracy. Everyone has a right to contest on a level playing ground. Our amiable Governor should conduct a primary for all interested aspirants and good luck to the winner of the primary”, he insisted.

 

Meanwhile the protest by hundreds of Itsekiri youths against the alleged trade off of the Chairman seat to the Ijaws enters its seventh day in Warri to the homes of prominent Itsekiri leaders and politicians who they claim are mortgaging their future for the selfish gains.

Lawal Africas Bags Warri Voice Award of Excellence

Lawal Africas Bags Warri Voice Award of Excellence

High Chief Lawal Africas displaying his award

By Tetsoma Neyin.

The Network Coordinator of the Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta,  High Chief Lawal Africas has been conferred with the prestigious Warri Voice Newspaper Award of Excellence as the "Best Peace Builder" in the Niger Delta.

The honorary award conferred on him due to his outstanding performance on peace building initiative in the Niger Delta, was made in specific reference to  his peace efforts, mediation and advocacy for peaceful coexistence,  especially in the three Warri Local Government Areas in Delta State.

High Chief Lawal Africas in a group photograph with some members of Warri MSP

The presentation ceremony of the prestigious award took place at G.T Guest House, Mabiaku Drive GRA, Warri, Saturday December 19, 2020.

The Publisher of Warri Voice Newspaper, Mr Femi  Odonmeta, while presenting the award to the recipient, called on him to see the award as a stepping stone for greater achievements as well as a challenge to do more by increasing the temple of his peace initiatives and general contributions to the human society, for which he is known.

Publisher of Warri Voice Newspaper, Mr. Femi Odonmeta presenting the award to High Chief Lawal Africas

Responding, High Chief Lawal Africas thanked the Warri Voice Newspaper crew for finding him worthy to such significant recognition and honour, even as he noted that the award would spur him to do more for the people of Niger Delta.

He further dedicated the award to members of Warri MSP and Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta.

INYC calls on Delta State Government to shun Ijaws demand for ward creation in Warri South LGA

INYC calls on Delta State Government to shun Ijaws demand for ward creation in Warri South LGA

By TeshWhyte

The Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), Warri South Chapter has called on the Delta State Government to shun the fraudulent protest of the Ijaw people residing in Warri South for the creation of more Wards in their favour.

The aggrieved Itsekiri youths who stated with references  from different court judgement barring the Ijaws from demanding for wards and inclusion in Warri South LGA due to the fact that the Ijaws have no land to their name in Warri South, saying that those areas been occupied by the Ijaws majorly belongs to the Itsekiri people and the Government which they occupied forcefully after the infamous Warri crisis.

They made this call to the Delta State Government in a press briefing held recently in Warri arising from an urgent meeting of the executives of INYC Warri South chapter and chairmen of all Itsekiri communities in Warri South LGA.

The grieves group stated categorically that despite the fact that Nigeria is operating a democratic government where peaceful protest from any group is allowed and that the reasons the Ijaws are holding unto for their protest is laughable and can be likened to the Urhobos going to Burutu LGA to demand for wards.

 "As at 1991 when Delta State was created and the defunct Warri LGA was divided into Warri North and Warri South LGA, everything about the Ijaws was found exclusively within the then ward 2 and ward 7 out of the 13 wards in the defunct Warri LGA"

"All Ijaws inclined Communities, polling units and ward where within the confines of the then ward 2 and ward 7 under Warri North LGA, but they were further distributed into Warri South-West LGA which was created in 1996. As at that time till date, the Ijaws do not have any stake in Warri South LGA ",  the group stated.

The Itsekiri group also called on the Delta State  Government  and Naval Authorities to honour court judgement and immediately evacuate all illegal occupants from their land, saying that the Ijaws are aware of these facts. 

The Itsekiri group went down memory lane to state categorically that the Ijaws are aware that the leases of 1906,1908 and 1911 which clearly define the ownership of all landed properties from the Nigeria Port-Authority (NPA), General Hospital area, A-division, Warri Main market, Ogbe-Ijoh market,  McIver market,  Catholic church, Alders town and other adjoining lands were all given to the colonial masters by Chief Dore Numa on behalf of the Itsekiri people.

 "In 2006, 2008 and 2011 when the life span these leases became legally terminated, the total dimension covered by these leases goes back to the Itsekiri people who are the rightful owners. It is worthy to note that all sub-leases acquired from these areas derived their strength from these principal leases" 

"The 1946 Supreme court judgement referenced: SC/450/65 and the most recent judgement delivered by Justice Marshall Mukoro completey barred the Ijaws from contesting any land in Warri South LGA ". The group avvered. 

They further stressed that the Ijaws based their protest on land and properties acquired by Nigerians who are not Ijaws, Naval Authorities and the government as sub leases from the aforementioned leases during the infamous Warri crises to demand for ward creation in their favour, saying that these properties illegally and forcefully occupied by the Ijaws during the Warri crises were captured by the Commissioner for Special Duties on Inter-ethnic crisis and conflict resolution, Hon. Ovuzuore Mcaulay and compensation adequately paid and received by the illegal occupants to ease their relocation. 

The renowned Itsekiri group who stated that the Itsekiri people are law abiding citizens who believed in the rule of law have vacated illegal properties occupied by them as directed by the government, but painfully no efforts have been made by the state government to evacuate the illegal occupants from their land. 

In a chat with Warri Voice shortly after the press conference, Chairman of INYC Warri South chapter, Comr. Ofoyeju Izuage stated authoritatively that both the state government and Naval Authorities should honour court judgement by evacuating all illegal occupants from their in order to avert another crisis that is now imminent.