By Onome Oghenetega
The Chairman of Ekpan Development Committee (EDC) in the Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Stephen Omamuromu Akemu, has appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to step into the lingering crisis in Ekpan to avert another fresh crisis in the community.
Akemu said the need for the governor to wade into the lingering disagreement over Ekpan Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) was to ensure that the community is not returned to the era of crises.
The Ekpan community chairman stated this on Monday while stressing that indigenes of the oil-rich community and host to several multi-national oil companies are demanding for peace not crisis.
He accused the current Uvwie Council Vice Chairman,Hon Daniel Ighedo and the CLO of Nestoil Company Mr NewYear Iffie, whose tenure has expired, of being responsible for the brewing crisis in the community.
Akemu further alleged further that the duo of Ighedo and Iffie were peddling falsehood in a calculated attempt to truncating his tenure as chairman of Ekpan Development Committee.
According to him, both indigenes are after him because of his stand against their intentions to influence their stay as Community Liaison Officers CLO’S to various Companies against the wish of Uvwie Kingdom.
The EDC Chairman stated that his problem with the duo started when he decided to support the position of the Uvwie traditional leadership in their quest to settle the lingering crisis over CLO tussle.
“I did not see the justification in individuals laying hold to a Community Liaison Officer position in a company for over ten years against the wish of the community that placed them there”, Akemu fumed.
He explained that the Community Liaison Officers issue is an exclusive business of the Traditional leadership of Uvwie Kingdom, adding that he was never part of the decision.
Akemu, however, denied allegations that he had defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as being reportedly peddled by the duo of Mr Ighedo and Mr Iffie.
He added that the attempt was to use blackmail him before the state governor, Senator Okowa, in their quest to remain in office as CLOs.
The Ekpan community chairman reaffirmed his continued loyalty to PDP which he currently serves as a member of the Delta State Land and Water Ways Security Committee, PDP Ward Nine Assistant Secretary Uvwie Local Government Area as well as the National Youth Leader Delta Central DC23.
He stated that his dealings with other politically exposed persons of any other party including the APC both within and outside the Ekpan community is no more than normal dealings that are apolitical, stressing that he has never received gifts of any kind in anticipation of switching his loyalty to any other political party as they have rumoured.
The EDC chairman further stated that Ekpan community has never in recent times enjoyed the kind of peace been enjoyed since they took over the leadership of the community.
He urged the Delta State Governor to use some of his instruments within the local Government to ask residents of Ekpan Community how the town has fared since they took over the leadership of the community.
Recall that a government report headed by Chief Edwin Uzor (JP), former Special Adviser to the Governor on Peace Building And Conflict Resolution had last year declared that “the current community liaison officers (C.L.O) and community relations committee (CRC) members have served long enough and are given up till 30th September 2020 to wind up their activities and accordingly, vacate office on the date 30th September 2020.
“Within this period, the community should appoint replacement for them through the Unuevworo of the various quarter in consonance with the EDC chairman.”
