By Austin Ogwuda
THE people of Ogbe-Ijoh are laying claim that it is their turn to produce the Chairmanship candidate for Warri South-West local government Council of Delta State, Nigeria, citing that there is existing ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to that effect.
Already, a Socio-politiocal group called Progressive Political Advocates has sent an Open Letter to the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Obovrevwori, drawing his attention to the purported rotational arrangement.
The letter signed by the Coordinator of the group, Mr. Godspower Benakiegha and made available to newsmen at a press briefing held in Ogbe-Ijoh weekend, stated that the call on Governor Oborevwori became imperative “because the Ogbe-Ijoh people do not want external interference from neighbours who have had their turn to produce the Local Government Chairman according to the gentleman agreement which is common knowledge to all concerned”.
The open letter to the Governor partly reads, “We wish to bring to the notice of the Governor of Delta State that by zoning arrangements between the Itsekiri and the Ijaw in Warri South West Local Government that has fostered unity and peace in the last three (3) elected Executives of the Council.
“In the ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ as shown in the table below, the Itsekiri had the first elected Chairman of the Council, the late Hon. David Atikpekpe, and the Vice Chairman was the late Hon. Daniel Akada from Gbaramatu.
“After the Itsekiri elected tenure, the Gbaramatu Ijaw produced the next elected Chairman, Hon. George Ekpemupolo with his Vice an Itsekiri, Hon. Blexons Omadoyi and after their tenure, the Chairmanship position went back to the Itsekiri and Hon. Taiye Duke Tuoyo became the next Chairman.
“It is now the turn of Ijaw to produce the next Council Chairman. Gbaramatu Ijaw having taken their turn in the person of Hon. George Ekpemupolo, leaving Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba Wards as the Ijaw yet to produce an elected Chairman”, the letter stated.
*Source: Focal Point Reports
