The protesting youths, drawn from the 13 wards of the local government area, were with leaves and placards that had different inscriptions accusing the commissioner representing Isoko North in the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Paul Oweh; local government Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Godwin Ogorugba, council chairman, Christian Iteire and a few other leaders of imposing candidates on the people.
Youths numbering over 200 in the Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta state on Tuesday stopped the screening of supervisory councillors over allegations of imposition.
The protesting youths, drawn from the 13 wards of the local government area, were with leaves and placards that had different inscriptions accusing the commissioner representing Isoko North in the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Paul Oweh; local government Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Godwin Ogorugba, council chairman, Christian Iteire and a few other leaders of imposing candidates on the people.
SaharaReporters gathered that the protesting youths had last week got wind of the screening and swearing-in of the supervisory councillors billed for Tuesday at the legislative chamber and stormed the council secretariat.
They drove away the councillors, council chairman, and some PDP leaders, disrupting activities there.
Our correspondent gathered that the protesting youths almost lynched the council chairman for allegedly conniving with the DESOPADEC commissioner, Oweh, and Ogorugba to carry out the imposition.
Speaking with our correspondent, one of the leaders of the protesters who identified himself as Joseph Owhologbo, from Ellu ward, said they decided to embark on the protest following the imposition of supervisory councillors by the council chairman, PDP chairman, and DESOPADEC commissioner without proper consultation with other leaders in the local government area.
"We are protesting against the wrong selection and imposition of supervisory councillors billed for screening today, Tuesday and their swearing-in by the council chairman, Christian Iteire in connivance with the Isoko North PDP chairman, Godwin Ogorugba, DESOPADEC commissioner, Paul Oweh and a few other leaders.
"They selected and imposed the supervisory councillors without consulting other leaders like Emmanuel Ogidi, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay, Jude Omena Ogbimi, Kome Okpobor, Philip Adheke, Nelson Ejakpovi, Emma Egbabor and other leaders from the 13 wards in the Isoko North Local Government Area.
"This is absolutely wrong, we cannot fold our arms and watch this insolence act being done by the council chairman, Christian Iteire, Godwin Ogorugba, Paul Oweh and few others. To avoid any crisis in Isoko North Local Government Area, the council chairman and his cohorts should consult all leaders in the local government area before carrying out any selection of supervisory councillors," he said.
Also speaking, a protester who simply identified himself as Karo, described the council chairman, PDP chairman and the DESOPADEC commissioner as trouble makers who did not mean well for the party.
"Ask Paul Oweh, what has he done since he was appointed as a commissioner in DESOPADEC? What has been his impact apart from amassing wealth? In Emevor, the only street he managed to tar was not done properly. It was a shoddy job and he got his kickback as always. What about the PDP chairman, he has nothing to offer other than to extort money from electoral candidates. We are saying no to any form of imposition on us," he said.
In the same vein, a protester who identified himself as Lucky Okeremu from Emevor ward, also condemned the alleged imposition of the supervisory councillors on the people.
"In Emevor ward, we have two leaders, Paul Oweh and Nelson Ejakpovi who stood in all elections to deliver the PDP in Emevor ward. Paul Oweh has produced two councillors from Emevor and he again connived with the PDP chairman, Godwin Ogorugba and the council chairman, Christian Iteire to impose a supervisory councillor on us.
"This is an injustice being done to us all in Emevor ward. We are calling on the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa to intervene and put to an end all these acts of injustice being done by the Isoko North council chairman, Isoko North PDP chairman, DESOPADEC commissioner, Paul Oweh and few other leaders in our local government area," he said.
Following the protest, the screening and swearing-in of the supervisory councillors had to be suspended.