Skip to main content

Delta Youths Protest Against Deputy Speaker Over Fraud Of N1.4 Billion

November 18, 2015

On Wednesday, thousands of Ndokwa youths from the Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State staged a protest in Warri, the economic hub of the State, accusing the State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Mr. Friday Osanebi and his “political godfather", Mr. Godswill Obielum, of defrauding the youths of N1.4 billion.

On Wednesday, thousands of Ndokwa youths from the Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State staged a protest in Warri, the economic hub of the State, accusing the State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Mr. Friday Osanebi and his “political godfather", Mr. Godswill Obielum, of defrauding the youths of N1.4 billion.

[slideshow]43307[/slideshow]

The Ndokwa youth leaders claimed that Mr. Osanebi and Mr. Obielum pilfered the sum of N1.4 billion from a fund originally set aside for the empowerment and training of youths in the State. They noted that the funds were provided by the  Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), government agencies, and multinational oil companies.

During the protests, several youths carried placards some of which read, “Friday Osanebi are you a legislator or a board member of the DESOPADEC?” and “EFCC is watching!”.    The youths also cast a vote of no-confidence for the Deputy Speaker and demanded his resignation and an apology for his gross misconduct.

One of the more vocal youth leaders, Marcus Enudi, noted that the DESOPADEC puts aside N20 million a month for the Ndokwa youth, he accused the Deputy Speaker Osanebi and his "political godfather" Mr. Obielum of pocketing these funds since 2013.

Deputy Speaker Osanebi did not respond to any requests for comment from SaharaReporters.