Governor’s Aide Escape Mob Attack Over Alleged Attempt To Influence NUT Election

The Special Adviser to Delta state Governor on Labour Relations and SERVICOM, Mr. Mike Okeme on Wednesday escaped mob attack over alleged attempt to influence the election of the Delta state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).

Okeme, was allegedly caught in an attempt to smuggled fake ballot papers into the election venue at the La-Diva Hotel, along Labour House Road off Okpanam Road, Asaba.

The former state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), was rooting for a chairmanship candidate, Mr. Timothy Chukunwosa Umukoro, against one other candidate, Titus Okotie, who later won the election.

Some teachers who preferred anonymity told BigPen Online that Okeme and Commissioner for Secondary and Basic Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie were allegedly trying to manipulate the election by all means possible but they failed at the end as their choice candidate lost out in the vote count.

The source claims that Education Secretaries at Local Government Education Authority were also under pressure to influence the vote for Umukoro, who was said to be an establishment candidate.

Report alleged that several moves by Okeme to smuggled a box containing fake ballot papers into the event which were to be used to rig the election was thwarted by eagle-eyed teachers who almost mobbed him at the venue.

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Multiple sources alleged that Okeme had made the first attempt to sneak the boxes into the venue but was apparently blocked but in second attempt a man was caught red-handed trying to smuggle the same fake carton of ballot papers through one of the side doors.

The development, a source said prompted the teachers to vote massively for Okotie who was to be declared winner after the teachers had in protest voted against his rival.