*Urges Governor Oborevwori to Call Sakpra, Others to Order
By Sunday Apah
Following alleged irregularities that marred the process of conducting elections in Ovwian community, valid delegates, Vice President General of Ovwian Community, Comrade Timothy Okoro, and popular President General aspirant, Chief Destiny Oghenero Akpovwa, have decided to boycott the 2023 triannual conference.
Comrade Timothy Okoro made this known during a press conference held on Sunday, 24th, 2023, at Ovwian Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. He stated that the exclusion of Chief Destiny Oghenero Akpovwa and others contravene an earlier interlocutory injunction.
He noted that the interlocutory injunction had restrained those who constituted the screening committee and the committee itself from further arbitrarily suspending or removing the claimants and others from their constitutional offices, in disregard of the Ovwian constitution, with the sole intent of ensuring that their names are not included in the voting list for the community election set to be held between the 24th and 26th of December, 2023.
He noted that despite this order, the screening committee, headed by Chief Patrick Diamond, still went ahead and excluded Chief Destiny Oghenero Akpovwa from the voting list based on groundless allegations of discrepancies in the date of birth he entered in two forms he filled out.
According to him, “when we sought to see the said document, they refused to unveil it to the community because it may have been doctored by them in fulfillment of their earlier threat to ensure Chief Akpovwa was disqualified.”
He lamented that Chief Henry Afure Sakpra, former Commissioner for Special Duties and Chairman of the Conference, allegedly refused to adhere to the court orders but went ahead with the conference scheduled to begin from 24th to 26th December 2023.
“We are aware that most of the persons screened to participate in the proposed election scheduled to be held on 26th December 2023 allegedly forged their certificates, yet the committee ensured they passed the screening.
“Notable organizations like Ovwian Progressive Forum, Ovwian Elders Forum, and others were not invited to the conference to enable them to have their say. As law-abiding citizens of Ovwian community, we have decided to boycott the election to avert any breakdown of law and order.”
Comrade Okoro, flanked by Chief Matthew Uparan, Chief Destiny Oghenero Akpovwa, Comrade Nathaniel Golohor, and others, called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to call Chief Henry Sakpra and his cohorts to order.
Chief Henry Afure Sakpra, when contacted, said he didn’t receive a court order restraining him from conducting the Ovwian community election and that the said order was not related to the election.
However, he agreed that he received an enrollment order of Motion ex-parte brought before the Magistrate Court at Otor-Udu, and the hearing is coming up on 9th January 2024. As such, he insisted on going ahead with the election.
