DESIEC, LGA Polls
Delta Council Polls: Group Writes Oborevwori, Appealing for Ogbe-Ijoh to Produce the Next Warri South-West LGA Chair
By Tobouke Jemine
As Local Government Council elections in Delta State draws close, the socio-political group, Progressive Political Advocates (PPA), has appealed to the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Obovrevwori to zone the Chairmanship position of Warri South-West Local Government to Ogbe-Ijoh Ward.
This was made known to the public via a letter addressed to the governor of the state.The Coordinator of group, Mr. Godspower Benakiegha, while making copies of the letter available to journalists at a press briefing held in Ogbe-Ijoh Town on Saturday, stated that according to the arrangement, it is now the turn of the Ogbe-Ijoh Ward to produce the next council Chairman.
According to Benakiegha, “in upholding the existing zoning arrangement in the forthcoming local government elections, the Ogbe-Ijoh ward should produce the chairman without interference”.
PPA explained its position that, “the Itsekiri community had the first elected chairman, followed by the Gbaramatu Ijaws, and then back to the Itsekiri”.
The group further said , “With this pattern, it is now the turn of the Ijaw, specifically the Ogbe-Ijoh Ward, to produce the next chairman.
“The existing gentleman agreement has so far promoted peace and unity between the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities in Warri South West Local Government.
“After the tenure of the Gbaramatu Ijaw, only Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba Wards are left to produce an elected chairman, according to the zoning arrangement”.
The open letter to the Governor emphasized, “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’s 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”.
IduwiniVoice
Delta LG Polls: Governor Oborevwori Announces Date to Swear-in New LG Chairmen
By Tobouke JEMINE
Following the local government polls held on Saturday July 13, 2024 across the state, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winning all the 25 local government areas in the state, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is set to inaugurate the newly elected Council Chairmen on Monday, July 15, 2024.
The swearing-in ceremony has been scheduled to take place at 10 am at the Event Centre in Asaba, as announced by the Permanent Secretary, Protocol, Government House, Mr. A.N. Tetsola.
Statement made available to public by Mr Tetsola partly reads, “Kindly be informed that His Excellency the Governor will preside over the Swearing-in Ceremony of the Newly Elected Chairmen and Vice of the 25 LGAs in the State on Monday 15/7/24 at Event Centre Asaba at 10 am. “You are most respectfully invited to the ceremony.”
IduwiniVoice
DESIEC: 10 POLITICAL PARTIES SIGN PEACE ACCORD…
By Tobouke JEMINE
Ten political parties have stamped their signatures to a peace accord initiated by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Delta State on account of the forthcoming local government council elections in the state.
The agreement which commits the parties of the signatories to advocate, uphold and maintain a peaceful and healthy elections was signed at the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) headquarters, and was witnessed by the State Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, representatives from other law enforcement agencies and the Inter-Party Advisory Council.
The peace accords host the signatures of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress(APC), Labour Party (LP), and chairmanship candidates of the parties, who pledged to abide by the letters and spirit of the accord, avoiding hate speech, violence, and vendetta.
DSIEC Chairman, Jerry Agbaike, enjoined the parties and their candidates to preach and maintain, and to seek legal recourse if necessary. He advised against violent acts like thuggery, ballot box snatching, and encouraged the parties and their candidatures to accept election results in good fate and congratulate each other.
IduwiniVoice
INEC STARTS PROCESS OF DELINEATING FRESH WARDS, UNITS IN WARRI
By Tobouke JEMINE
WARRI — the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the process of delineating fresh electoral wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency in response to an order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to do so.
The process was initiated at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Government House Annex, Warri on Monday, comprising representatives from the Ijaw, Urhobo, and Itsekiri ethnic groups.The meeting themed “Stakeholders Meeting for the Implementation of the Supreme Court Judgment on Fresh Delineation of Wards and Polling Units in Warri Federal Constituency,” highlighted the active engagement of ethnic group representatives in shaping the delineation process.
Speaking at the meeting, the Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sir Etekamba Umoren said, “The choice of Warri South, as the venue of this Stakeholders meeting is not only premised on the fact that , Warri South Local Government Area is the Headquarters of Warri Federal Constituency but also one of the key agreements by the Focal/Contact Persons representing the three ethnic nationalities of the Ijaws, Itsekiris and Urhobos, at a meeting held in INEC State Office, Asaba, on Friday 19th April 2024 and accepted by the Commission, hence we are here gathered today for this all-important meeting.
“It is only fitting and proper that Stakeholder engagement preceding the mobilization of the technical staff of the Commission ought to be within the precinct of the theatre of operations, in this instance, the three Local Government Areas that makeup Warri Federal Constituency.
“It is also worth noting that the calibre of representation in this meeting from the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja, signposts the Commission’s readiness to commence field work on the fresh delineation of the Constituency in compliance with the Supreme Court Judgment. Umoren also noted the Commission’s readiness, with technical teams set to begin fieldwork across Warri South, Warri Southwest, and Warri North Local Government Areas from July 10th to July 27th, 2024.
“As we speak, over 50 persons, comprising technical officers and support staff from both National Headquarters and State office, are already on the ground, preparatory to moving to the three Local Government Areas, to commence fieldwork, from Wednesday 10th -27th July 2024, he stated.
Umoren’s submissions were re-emphasized by Prof. Rhoda Gumus, who stood in for the INEC National Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood at the meeting.
“INEC is ready and the three ethnic groups are ready. Right now we are having a meeting on how to go ahead. I am representing the National Chairman. The three focal persons of the ethnic groups are in the meeting with us. The way forward is that we are ready. We came as a result of our chairman sending us. I am representing our chairman”, she said.
Amidst the protest of some Itsekiri youths against the delineation process, the meeting was successfully concluded, as there was heavy presence of security men at the venue.