The youths of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State have insisted that Hon Francis Akatika remains their youth president until a meeting of all stakeholders in the area is duly called to do so.
At the meeting midwife by Chief Samuel Oghotomo and well attended by youths from Okperebe, Ewu, Effurun-Otor, Olomu and Ugievwien Kingdoms held yesterday Thursday at Okpare-Olomu Civic Center in Olomu Kingdom, the youths accused the Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Security Matters, Chief Godwin Okporoko of meddling in the affairs of the youth body of the area even when he is above the age bracket of youth and now a titled chief.
The youths alleged that Okporoko is doing the bidding of the opposition party to destabilise the youths of the Ughelli South ahead of the 2023 general elections describing his purported dissolution of the Akatika-led executive of Ughelli South youth at a meeting he called null and void since he does not have the moral and legal right to dissolve the executive.
According to them, the governor’s aide has refused to move forward and outgrown the activities of Ughelli South youth hence he is wanting to Lord himself over the youth of the area for his selfish reasons.
Addressing the youths, the president of Urhobo Youth Leaders Association, Chief Samuel Oghotomo, stated that it was disheartening to hear that chief Godwin Okporoko illegally summoned a meeting of the Ughelli south youth with six out of the eighteen-man executive with a view of dissolving the Exco when other critical stakeholders including the current chairman were not put in the known.
Chief Oghotomo explained that chief Okporoko overrated himself by purportedly dissolving the Ughelli south youths executive an act he said is capable of truncating the existing peace in Ughelli south and wondered why he would condescend so low and allowed himself to be used to promote disunity amongst the youths of Ughelli south.
He disclosed that he was the first democratically elected president of the youth body noting that constitutional provisions were not followed by Chief Okporoko in his purported dissolution promising their readiness to resist any attempt by him to single-handedly dissolve and install a new executive for the Ughelli south youth body.
Oghotomo said, “We do not want any person to come and disorganise Ughelli South youths ahead of the 2023 general elections. We are here to say that the Kangaroo meeting called by Godwin Okporoko yesterday (Wednesday) was a misplacement and whatever was agreed at the meeting is null and void.
“We are putting our voices together to say until appropriate dissolution is carried out, Francis Akatika remains the president of Ughelli South youth.”
Speaking further, Chief Oghotomo said that the president of Olomu youth who purportedly spoke on behalf of Olomu in the Okporoko kangaroo dissolution of Ughelli South youths’ executive, Mr Balogun Ivwromonene tenure as Olomu youths president expired two years ago and has been hanging to the office illegally for two years.
According to him, Ivwromonene does not have the moral standing to speak on behalf of the youths at the meeting calling for the dissolution of Ughelli South youth body when his tenure has expired two years ago.
The incumbent Youth President of Ughelli South, Francis Akatika said, “I have agreed that the tenure has expired. But that meeting they called yesterday (Wednesday) to dissolve us they were not supposed to call that kind of meeting.
“Okporoko cannot call a meeting to dissolve us exco of Ughelli South youth because he is now a Chief and not a youth. On the day of my swearing-in, the Council chairman was there, DPO was there, the SSS was there, Commissioner Mrakpor was there. And I was sworn in as the youth president of Ughelli South.
“Okporoko did not swear me in as youth president of Ughelli South. Okporoko can’t go there and dissolve me as youth president of Ughelli South. Yesterday (Wednesday) they held a meeting, they called some few people and me as the current youth president from Ughelli South I am not aware that there is a meeting.
“My exco members are not aware. I have eighteen exco intact and Okporoko was just with six of my exco yesterday. So, that meeting is null and void. It is a kangaroo meeting and I still remain the current youth president of Ughelli South until a full meeting will be held comprising the Council chairman, the commissioner representing the local government, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), State Security Service (SSS) and all the youths leaders will sit down at a round table to discuss this matter.”
Akatika further stated that the tenure of Comrade Royal Eyerebe has also expired and as such does not have the right to speak on behalf of the Ewu youths.
He said Ughelli South youths have however called for the dissolution of all kingdom executive whose tenure has long expired before that of Akatika which is the central body can be dissolved.
Others who bared their minds at the meeting called by Akatika include the Ugievwien Youth President, Comrade Paul Okoloko, President, Urhobo Youth Leaders Association and Comrade Oke Oga noted that Ughelli South youths have been experiencing peace and would not allow person or group of persons truncate the peace they are enjoying.
