Contention Delta LGA Polls: Utuama, Ideh Under Fire, Accused Of Undermining Gov Oborevwori’s Order

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jeremi Ward 3, Ughelli South Local Government Area, have accused state lawmaker Festus Utuama and Dr. Adogbeji Ideh of undermining Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s order against imposing councilorship candidates in the forthcoming Local Government elections.

The party members protested the imposition of a candidate unknown to the party and Jeremi community, who they claim does not live or vote in the area. They alleged that Utuama and Ideh unilaterally imposed the candidate, despite the community’s rotational agreement for councilorship representation.

Recall that Governor Oborevwori had prior to the PDP primaries to pick Chairmanship and Counsilorship candidates frowned against imposition of unpopular candidates, warning to deal with PDP leaders who fail to carry party members along to ensure only popular candidates supported by the majority are chosen to represent the party in the coming LG elections.

The party members in protest in Jeremi, headquarters of Ughelli South LG, alleged that both party leaders unilaterally imposed a candidate unknown to the party and Jeremi community whose turn it is to produce the next councilor to represent the ward in the rotational agreement among communities making the ward.

Among the protesting ward members who spoke, Mr. Alfred Achoja said, “Otu-Jeremi people reject imposition of a councillorship candidate on us. The person they are imposing on us does not live in Otu-Jeremi, has no place in Otu-Jeremi, does not vote in Otu-Jeremi or anywhere in the wars and certainly doesn’t know the pains of the grassroot people.

“His wife and children don’t live here neither do they vote here, yet, our leaders, Hon. Festus Utuama, member representing Ughelli South Constituency and Dr. Ideh have taken what belong to us to give to someone we do not know. We will not accept it”.

He noted that the people of Otu-Jeremi, especially the youths and the women have worked and suffered for the party, and that the only way the grassroot will feel direct impact of the administration is when they have someone from among them that have been suffering with them and well known to them as a party man to be their Councilor, appealing to Governor, Oborevwori to wade in and stop the injustice and imposition by Hon. Utuama and Dr. Ideh.

Expressing their own disapproval, Mr. Michael Situ and Mr. Frerere Umudi, Jeremi Youth Leader and Councillorship Aspirant for the ward, said it is a clear demonstration of oppression, impunity for both party leaders to impose a total stranger as candidate on the PDP Ward III.

“Since 1999 we have been supporting and working for the party, yet, those we call leaders are always hijacking, diverting and denying the people what belongs and comes to the grassroot.

“We are calling on the governor to come and resolve this issues of imposition as we the people of Jeremi Ward III will not accept the imposition by our leaders this time around. Enough is enough”, they stressed.

They further accused Hon. Utuama and Dr. Ideh of habitually diverting all empowerments meant for the people of Otu-Jeremi to their families or allies, a development they vowed must stop.

Also speaking, the Ward Women Leader, Olorogun Elizabeth Jalogha, condemned the imposition and called on the state governor to intervened promptly to correct the irregularity.

The PDP faithful threatened that if the imposed candidate is not removed, the PDP will no longer enjoy the people’s support in subsequent elections in the ward, adding that the leaders who are doing this have only one vote while their children, wives and wards do not cast their votes in Jeremi.

When contacted, Dr. Ideh said the allegation is not true.

He said, “You know we have the option of a consensus and we decided that instead of this young men spending money and embarking on unnecessary campaigns when some don’t even know why there is a councillor and what the functions of a councilor is, and in the past we have always had a consensus, so we said instead of them spending money unnecessarily, we agreed on a consensus candidate with the party Ward Exco and nothing is wrong in that.”

Reacting to the identity of the candidate allegedly imposed on them and whom they claim is unknown to them and does not cast his vote in Otu-Jeremi, Dr. Ideh disclosed, “The person we picked is a bonafide son of Otu-Jeremi. His father is from Otu-Jeremi and his name is in the voter register and he has his voter card.

“Some people in some area believed that if anyone wants to contest an election, they must part with money, but this is what we want to avoid. We want people who will go there and say what can I get from the council to our community.

“We do not want to encourage people who want to be councilor and see the office as a means of livelihood. We want somebody who can stand on his own to even help the party, and this young man can do that. He has even promised to use his own money to help those who would want to go to school, so the allegation is false”.

Efforts made to reach Hon. Festus Utuama proved abortive as his mobile line rang only once and says not reachable in subsequent dials.

The protesters, including ward leaders and youth representatives, appealed to Governor Oborevwori to intervene and stop the imposition. . However, the protesters remained adamant, threatening to withdraw support for the PDP in future elections if the imposed candidate is not removed.