Members of the Sapele-Okpe Community in Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State, passed a vote of no confidence in the executive led by Chief Onoriode Temiagin, over allegations of secretly amending the community’s constitution and creating another quarter without due consultations.
This followed an aborted monthly community meeting on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at Okpe Hall, over allegations of actions deemed detrimental to the community’s interest, community members who had gathered at the Community Hall, discussed the development, and thereafter took a decision on the way forward.
The decision was reached after extensive deliberations by those gathered. Prominent leaders present included Dr Kingsley Abeke, Secretary of the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association; Ufuoma Atose; Ovo Abeke; Bright Abeke; Chief Tom Anirah; Sapele-Okpe Community Youth President, Obomine Ekariko; Chief G. Dafinone; and the Senator representing Delta Central, Ede Dafinone (who also serves as Chairman of the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association).
The crisis reportedly stemmed from allegations that the Temiagin-led executive amended the community’s constitution to recognise Otonyasere as the fifth quarter of the Sapele-Okpe Community without consultation with other quarters or members of the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association — a move described by members present as controversial and potentially injurious to the community’s legal and proprietary interests.
Addressing the gathering before the vote, Senator Dafinone disclosed that he had made repeated efforts to obtain a copy of the amended constitution for review but was unsuccessful.
“For over a year, the Trust has requested a copy of the amended constitution so that we can review it, but as I speak to you, Chief Temiagin is yet to make it available” he said.
He subsequently asked those present whether any member had seen the amended document, to which the crowd reportedly responded with a resounding “No.”
The senator linked the alleged amendment to an ongoing land dispute between the Sapele-Okpe Community and Otonyasere over land located within the Forest Reserve Area. According to him, the community had recorded victories at both the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with the matter presently pending before the Supreme Court.
“We are in court with some residents of Otonyasere for the land in the reserve area. We defeated them in both the High Court and the Appeal Court. The matter is now in the Supreme Court. Where the matter is decided in our favour in the Supreme Court, the land will come back to us,” he stated.
He cautioned that recognising Otonyasere as a fifth quarter was a ploy to weaken the community’s position before the apex court.
Dafinone further raised concerns regarding instructions suspiciously issued to our lawyers handling various cases to withdraw the matters from court where a judgment was most likely to be delivered in our favour.
He noted that the chairman had indefinitely postponed the regular monthly meeting when he learned that members would be requesting clarifications on the amendment of the constitution and the secret creation of a fifth quarter in the community.
Also speaking, Solomon Abeke accused the Temiagin-led executive of high-handedness, alleging that the chairman and certain members of his team were administering the community in an autocratic manner.
While some members advocated issuing a formal warning and allowing the chairman to respond to the allegations, others maintained that a vote of no confidence was imperative to safeguard the community’s collective interest.
Following deliberations, members present unanimously adopted a vote of no confidence in the Temiagin-led executive, a decision reportedly greeted with loud approval.
However, in the interest of fairness and due process, Senator Dafinone appealed that the Chairman be given an opportunity to defend the allegations brought against him, the community therefore resolved that each of the four existing quarters of the community would nominate 10 representatives to engage him and provide an opportunity to address the allegations.
The outcome of that engagement is expected to determine the subsequent course of action in resolving the crisis in leadership within the Sapele-Okpe Community.
