The Chairman of Warri South Local Government in Delta State, Dr Michael Tidi has denied having any hand in the emergence of the new leadership of the youths in Okere-Urhobo community.
Some youths of the community led by the Coordinator of the Okere-Urhobo Solidarity Front, Ambassador Lucky Ibiri on Sunday morning staged a peaceful protest alleging the exclusion of their names in the delegates list of the Okere-Urhobo youth administration.
The youths also fingered Dr Tidi of masterminding the imposition of candidates in the community youth election which held on Sunday in the community.
Reacting to the allegations, Tidi in an exclusive phone chat with NewsNet stressed that government’s interest in the community is peace and security adding that government had to intervene when it was discovered that the actions of some of the youths in the community were leading to likely breakdown of law and order.
“We have been on this journey for the past six (6) months which came to a successful end today Sunday.
“When the tenure of the former executive of the youths expired an interim government was set up for three (3) months and upon expiration, we saw that they were not ready to conduct election so, we set up another interim government for two (2) months,” Tidi explained.
The Warri South Council boss maintained that the decision for the community youth election to hold on Sunday November 9, 2020, was that of the Warri South Council Security Committee comprising of the council’s head of legal department, Army, Police, Civil Defence Corp and DSS.
He said: “The decision we took was for the second interim committee to go and conduct an election.
“The election has come and gone; some of them participated, some did not participate.”
On the alleged exclusion of names from the delegates list, Tidi said: “I am not INEC or DISEC, my concern is peace and security.
“Government will not allow them to take laws into their hands and go scot-free.”
Tidi who described Sunday’s election as free, fair and credible emphasized that, “We will not allow one man to undermine an institution of government.
“Let me put it on record that, one self-style Chief Gideon Okumagba is the one instigating and mobilizing some youths of the community to go against majority decision and interest in the community.
“Okere-Urhobo community cannot be an exception as we have resolved the Omadino/Obodo boundary issue and Ode-Itsekiri just did their swearing-in with Igbudu community not left out.
“Peace and security is what we have ensured,” said Tidi.
