By Onome Oghenetega
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s ally, Michael Diden also popularly known as Ejele, has come hard on traditional rulers in Delta State over their refusal to honour immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan when the royal fathers recently honoured Okowa and onetime governor of the state, Chief James Ibori.
Ejele, who is the current chairman of the State Oil Producing Areas and Development Commission (DESOPADEC), also blamed the traditional fathers for pushing former Governor Uduaghan to allegedly picking a ‘wrong candidate’ prior to the 2015 governorship election in the state.
The former Delta State House of Assembly lawmaker berated the monarchs while speaking with journalists at the closing ceremony of Mega Praise Church of God International’s prayer programme tagged “Breaking chains of satanic oppression” in Sapele.
Ejele also doubled as the founder and senior pastor of Mega Praise Church of God International.
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The closing ceremony of the prayer event was held on Sunday and was attended by senior politicians in the state including the member representing Warri Federal Constituency, Chief Thomas Eriyetomi.
According to the former lawmaker, the monarchs were wrong to have exempted Uduaghan who contributed his quarter to the development of the state as a two-term governor.
Delta traditional rulers had late last year gave out awards of excellence to former Governor James Onanefe Ibori and incumbent Governor Okowa and his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, for their developmental strides in the state.
The royal fathers, however, exempted Uduaghan, an act Deltans considered to spite the former governor who have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) where he contested the Delta South Senatorial District in 2019.
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When asked on his reaction to the action of the traditional rulers, Ejele said “the traditional rulers did not do well because what they did shows that if Okowa leaves office, they will also treat him the same way they are treating Uduaghan.”
“You can’t say the man is totally bad, he ( Uduaghan) has his good and bad parts”, the DESOPADEC chairman added.
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Ejele added, “If there is anybody who deceived the governor (Uduaghan) during his time into picking the wrong candidate, it was the traditional rulers.
“What they have done is not good. What is written is written, whether you like it or not, that man Uduaghan is a former Delta governor.”
