Oleh community in Delta has urged the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to prevail on the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu, from fuelling crisis in the town.
The appeal is contained in a petition to the Governor by some leaders in Oleh, Isoko South Local Govt, Delta, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Friday.
In the petition signed by four leaders on behalf of the community, they alleged that the SSG
was unjustly interfering in the leadership succession in Oleh, an action capable of breaching the peace in the town.
The petition was signed on behalf of the community by Chief Zaakie Okupa, Hon. Osibi Henry, Mr Anthony Okeh, and Mr Ayo Ubara.
The SSG, however, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), denied all the allegations against him in the petition addressed to the governor.
The petitioners wrote: “your Excellency, it has become expedient to write you as a community and peace loving people, reporting the bias interference of the SSG, Dr Kingsley Emu in Oleh matters; an action threatening our peace and survival.
“Sir, it is worthy of note that considering the recently dastardly acts and attack witnessed by the state at the moment, Delta needs relative peace.
“As the Chief Security Officer of the State, it will be too dangerous if your Excellency remains silent as many fingers are already pointing at the SSG who had suddenly developed questionable intentions and vested interest to fight our collective interest in Oleh.
“It is in this context that we respectfully appeal to our governor, Rt.Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who do not toy with the rule of law to kindly call Dr Kingsley Emu to order.
“The SSG must end this erroneous desperation, stay neutral without allowing himself to be coerced into a matter that could affect us if not well handled.’’
On the succession issue in the community that the SSG was accused of meddling into, the petitioners said the former President-General of Oleh Community Development Union (OCDU), Chief Believe Alakri, refused to relinquish power when his tenure expired in December 2023.
They alleged that Alakri, hiding under the influence of government paraphernalia, breached the extant law, which stipulates that election shall be conducted at least, three (3) months before the expiration of the tenure of his office.
The petitioners said that rather than conducting the election, Alakri planned to impose stooges as the community leadership
They alleged that Alakri also failed to render an account to Oleh people as required by the constitution after his five years of stewardship.
“He made a lopsided appointment by placing his cousin as the Chairman, Oleh Electoral Committee, his closed ally, Secretary and other members without recourse to equity and traditional spread, thereby breaching the constitution.
“This unhealthy appointment was carried out for the reason that a sinister plan was in the offing to plant a surrogate as a successor,’’ they alleged.
The petitioners said following the infractions and to avert crisis, the aggrieved members of the community secured a valid order of a Delta State Chief Magistrate’ Court to right the wrongs.
Specifically, they said Chief Magistrate B.O. Williams ordered that an interim body should take over the leadership of the association, in line with the provisions of the constitution of OCDU.
They said the court directed the interim body to hold the annual conference of OCDU and conduct election into the leadership of the association within three months as stipulated by the constitution.
The petitioners said rather than obey the orders of the court, Alakri and one Chief Joe Arausi introduced a narrative that the leadership crisis in Oleh town had political colouration.
They alleged that the duo of Alakri and Arausi made the government to believe that the leadership infraction in Oleh had party affiliation.
“Your Excellency, it is sad, worrisome, and quite unfortunate that Dr Kingsley Emu (the SSG) had allowed himself to be brainwashed and misguided
“Regrettably, Dr Kingsley Emu had intentionally midwife several calls, not excluding calls to the late Magistrate, Chief Magistrate B.O. Williams (before she died), threatening and commanding that the conference should be held against our constitution.
“Your Excellency, if Dr Kingsley Emu denies this fact, we will apply to Court to licence the network providers to produce phone calls conversation within this specified time.
“The last time we checked, the SSG has not been assigned the herculean functions of Peace Building and Conflict Resolution in Delta State. The signals are very clear.
“He must end this erroneous desperation, stay neutral without allowing himself to be coerced into a matter that could affect the party tomorrow if not well handled,’’ the petitioners said.
In his reaction in a telephone interview with NAN, the SSG said he was aware of the petition, but the allegations therein were unfounded.
Emu said they waded into the crisis in the community to keep peace, because the state could not afford a repeat of Okuama and Okoloba crisis..
“Although, we are aware of the court cases, we cannot afford to watch and allow this crisis to degenerate
“Without prejudice to the cases in court, we summoned all the parties for a meeting. We did so in order to resolve the crisis through arbitration.
“We have waded into similar cases, such as they had in Isoko, and we resolved the crises amicably and peacefully among warring parties, we will continue to intervene to ensure peaceful co-existence.
“I am the SSG and a peace loving person. I cannot take side with any party. The Governor has his trust in me. I am not frivolous, reckless or irresponsible,’’ he said
According to the SSG, the allegation is coming from a misguided people who want to fan embers of crisis in the community.
“The major cause of the crisis is resources; it is about oil, leadership tussle and boundary.
“We will stop at nothing lawful to ensure peace in the state.’’
