A Coalition of All Groups in Ekpan community in Delta State has called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the Inspector General of Police and other relevant authorities to call the Uvwie Local Government Council Chairman, Mr Ramson Onoyake, to order to prevent what they termed a further violation of the constitution of the Ekpan Development Committee, EDC.
The coalition comprising over ten groups in Ekpan community stated this in a Press Release signed by the Leader, Ex-EDC Chairmen, Hon Franko Akemu, Chairman, Ekpan Indigenous Contractors, Deacon Friday Enaefewan, Chairman, Ekpan Integrity Group, Comrade Awinoron Onajite and Chairman, Concern Youth for Good Governance.
The group accused Onoyake of sidelining the existing 2008 constitution of Ekpan which saw him appointing one Victory Nanakpero into office even when he did not meet certain requirements such as the 40 years condition.
The group also accused Onoyake of outright disregard for the directive of Governor Oborevwori as they explained that the Uvwie Council Chairman was told not to go on with the purported inauguration but did not heed the directive.
“It beats our imagination that a local government chairman would refuse to abide by the directives of the State Governor and as well refused to honour invitations of the State Commissioner of Police and yet is not called to order,” the group noted.
A leader and ex-Ekpan Development Committee EDC Chairman, Hon. Franko Akemu and the President of Ekpan Stakeholders Group, Deacon Matthew Emewakeme stated that the actions of the Uvwie Local Government Chairman against the community are inimical to the peace, unity and development of the community and, therefore appealed the State Government to urgently intervene.
They noted that the validly constituted EDC under the leadership of Comrade Newton Onaodowan and some other well-meaning and right-thinking individuals and groups in the community are finding it tough to quell the justified anger of every segment of the community before it snowballs to a conflagration that would be of grave danger to lives and property and the Ekpan people who are aggrieved by the illegal action of Onoyake to foist his crony on the people, especially without due process and the rule of law.
The coalition of all groups in Ekpan has also advised Onoyake to follow the constitution in order to avoid creating a state of anarchy noting that Ekpan Community is already volatile.
According to the group, “The senseless killings of 2022 perpetrated by the agents of the present Uvwie Local Government Council Chairman, Ramson Onoyake and the Inuevworo in which no fewer than 12 law-abiding citizens of Ekpan community were wasted in cold blood on the 24th December 2022 are still fresh in the minds of the people, it cannot be forgotten in a hurry and cannot be ignored or wished away.
“There is a lesson to learn, surprisingly, the Uvwie Local Government Council Chairman is still carrying on like a loose cannon.
“The desire of His Excellency to have peace reign in the volatile Ekpan, and Ogbe-Ijaw/Aladja communities in Delta State might be jeopardised by the executive recklessness and the rascal actions of Hon Onoyake, if not quickly mitigated.”
