A member of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led Delta State Executive Council in charge of the Ministry of Water Resources, Hon. Samuel Mariere and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development have been accused of plotting to scuttle the implementation of the recommendations of Delta State Government White Paper on the lingering crisis in Evwreni community.
The accusation was made by the Evwreni Elders & Leaders of Thought in a protest letter dated April 19, 2023, and addressed to the Secretary to the Delta State Government.
Evwreni community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has been embroiled in a protracted crisis which began in 2019 and has claimed several lives in the Urhobo-speaking community.
In the protest letter signed by the Chairman Ewreni Elders and Leaders of Thought, Major John Ovwufeti (Rtd), the Secretary, Elders and Leaders/Fr. Deputy Majority Leader, UNLGC, Hon. Desmond Okpako Duke and 10 others, the Evwreni Elders & Leaders of Thought also rejected the purported setting up and inauguration of a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the Evwreni Clan Improvement Union (ECIU) with effect from the 15th of April, 2023, in compliance with a letter dated 6th April, 2023, written by the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development purportedly authorising the embattled Ovie of the Evwreni Kingdom, HRM Oghenekevwe Owin Kumane, Eruvwedede III to unilaterally set up a Caretaker Committee for the Union to run the affairs of the community for six months.
While describing the Caretaker Committee as illegal, null and of no effect, the Evwreni Elders & Leaders of Thought alleged that “Hon. Samuel Mariere working in consonance with Hon. Victor Ohare pressured the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community”, to write the letter to the community for the setting of the Caretaker Committee with a view to undermining the peace efforts of the Okowa administration with the release of the White Paper on the Evwreni lingering crisis.
The Evwreni Elders & Leaders of Thought in their protest noted the following below:
“Sir, it will interest you to note that the said HRH, Oghenekevwe Kumane who was purportedly authorized to set up the caretaker committee, Hon. Samuel Mariere working in consonance with Hon. Victor Ohare and all the persons who worked with them to eventually set up the kangaroo caretaker committee are all persons allegedly accused, fingered and/or indicted in the said yet to be implemented White Paper on the Evwreni Lingering Crisis as persons who either incited, sponsored, encouraged and/or directly and indirectly participated in inflicting the terrorist attacks on Evwreni community which led to the death of innocent indigenes and destruction of properties. In fact, HRH, Oghenekevwe Kumane is currently facing a criminal trial in the Federal High Court, Warri in Charge No.: FHC/WR/95C/2020. In the same vein HRH, Oghenekevwe Kumane, Hon Samuel Mariere and other indicted accused persons have been charged to the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over the same terrorist act they perpetrated and sponsored against the good people of Evwreni Community in Charge No.: FHC/ABJ/CR/401/2022. Copies of the two charge sheets are hereby attached for ease of reference and marked ANNEXURES C and D respectively.
“Consequently Sir, it is worthy to draw your attention to the fact that, the directive of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development as conveyed in the purported letter dated 6th April, 2023 which was acted upon by HRH, Oghenekevwe Kumane, Hon. Samuel Mariere and Hon. Victor Ohare on the 15th of April, 2023 to set up the purported caretaker committee of ECIU is an act made to embolden, reward, compensate and/or to say the least, incentify the same persons who terrorized, and/or sponsored, encouraged, allowed and incited the attacks on the very good people of Evwreni Community and made them to suffer untold hardship, loss of income, loss of livelihood, sorrow and/or pains.
“Furthermore, we wish to humbly state that the purported directive to set up a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the ECIU is forcing illegality on the Evwreni people as Article 15 of the ECIU Constitution, as revised in 2016 provides that all ECIU elected executive committee members are to remain in office for an additional period of 6 months where there are unforeseen circumstances that would not allow an election to hold at the expiration of their tenure. In the current situation that the Evwreni people have found themselves now, the six months period is supposed to end in June 2023. A copy of the Constitution of Evwreni Clan Improvement Union, revised 2016 is hereby attached for ease of reference and marked ANNEXURE E.
“Therefore, if the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development are not enthused or inclined in having the incumbent, Mr. Bright Adjogbe executives of ECIU remain in office for the extended period of six months as stipulated by the ECIU Constitution, the proper and more noble path to toe will be to conduct a fresh election into the various offices of the ECIU as recommended in the White Paper on the Evwreni Lingering Crisis rather than follow the illegal and unholy path that the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development’s purported letter dated 6th April 2023 seek to push Evwreni community and the state into.
“Sir, permit us to provide some background information about some of the purported members of the ingloriously constituted and inaugurated Caretaker Committee, and those who appointed them as follows:
“CHIEF EMMANUEL GEGERE: This is the chairman of the purported and illegal Caretaker Committee. He was also the chairman of the last election committee that conducted the election in October 2019 and intentionally failed to properly add up the figures in the election votes which initially created a situation of inconclusive election that led to the crisis that bedevilled Evwreni community. This appointment can be seen as compensation to him for doing that dirty job in 2019.
“MS. REBECCA UTUEDOR: This is a woman in the Caretaker Committee who is a stack illiterate who was the wife of Mr. Committee Omogeroh, also appointed as Public Relations Officer (PRO) in the same illegal Caretaker Committee. How can an illiterate become the PRO of ECIU? Her function is nothing more than just filling a space and having the correct number of members in the said committee.
“MR. COMMITTEE OMOGEROH: This was the husband of the Rebecca Utuedor and also an illiterate. Also, his function is nothing less than just filling a space and have the correct number of members in the said committee, whereas the operators of the committee are hidden but well known to the public.
“HON. VICTOR EMUOBOSA OHARE: He was the then outgoing President-General of ECIU when the last election was held. He stayed in office for additional eight months. Even though he had dissolved his executives before the election, he made himself the returning officer in the 2019 election and participated in causing the confusion that started the crises in Evwreni in 2019. Also, he was made to inaugurate the Kangaroo and Illegal Caretaker Committee of 15th April, 2023. He is currently being investigated by the security agents over his role in attempting to fuel another crisis in Evwreni and against the people.
“HON. SAMUEL MARIERE: He clearly stated on oath before the Judicial panel of inquiry set up by the Governor of Delta State that he is not a member of ECIU, he has also been the one giving political colouration to the killings and destruction of properties in Evwreni. He has been charged to a court of competent jurisdiction for the role he played in the terrorist attacks perpetrated against the Evwreni people.
“Consequently, we see the purported directive to set up a Caretaker Committee for ECIU as an attempt by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development and her cohorts as a direct attempt by them, to scuttle the implementation of the White Paper which has been approved by the Executive Governor of Delta State and his entire cabinet which should not be allowed to prevail.
“We, therefore, urge you to use your good office to urgently intervene by calling the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development to order, by directing her to withdraw the purported directive to set up the Caretaker Committee and ensure that all the recommendations stipulated in the White Paper on the Evwreni Lingering Crisis are fully implemented.”
