Residents of Agbarha Community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta on Wednesday protested alleged imposition of councillorship candidate on them in the forthcoming Councils poll in the state.
The aggrieved protesters who were mainly from Mc Dermmott ward 2 said they can no longer tolerate the continues imposition of candidates on them, stressing that this time around the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the state must do the right thing.
They therefore, appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to call the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) to correct the marginalization, alleging that the candidate presented to contest the next council election was not from the ward.
They described the constant imposition of councillorship candidates on them as provocative, insulting and brazen disregard to the sensitivity of Agbarha people, stressing that in spite of the series of protests by the people, the party has continued to ignore their pleas.
The protesters who were mostly youths and women blocked the Mc Dermott road causing heavy vehicular movements and disrupted commercial activities in the community.
The protester who alleged imposition of one Mr Femi Okorodiden as Councillor to represent McDermott Ward 2 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as against their candidate, Mr Sammy Eyekpimi, vowed to take the party to court if they refused to listen to them.
They carried placards with different inscriptions such as: We say no to imposition of candidate, “Sammy Eyekpimi is our consensus candidate,” “McDermott Ward takes it’s route from Shell Ramp down to Iyara,” Otumara is not from Igbudu/McDermott Ward,” “We say no to injustice” among others.
Mr Emmanuel Ovakporaiye, Youth President, Igbudu community who led the peaceful protest said they have been marginalized since the creation on Igbudu Ward in 2004, adding that since 2008 no Agbarha person has been made the councilor of the Mc Dermott ward.
“McDermott Ward falls under the Agbarha Community Development Committee and Mr Igho Peru an Agbarha indigene from Igbudu was its councillor from 2004 to 2007. When Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan became Governor, Romeo Ogedegbe, an Itsekiri man was forced on us as the Councilor to represent the ward from the year 2008 to 2011 under the Accord Party. This action elicited a very strong protest and petitions were written. Yet all fell on deaf ears.
“Okorodiden whose name has been forwarded as the candidate to represent the ward was neither nominated nor signed for by the executive of the party in the ward. The duly elected candidate to represent the party as councilor in the forthcoming Councils election is Sammy Frankly Eyekpimi.
If this act is not nip on the bud, it may lead to outright rejection of PDP in the area in the next election. Those of us who are members of the party are the ones at the receiving end of the wrath of the our people,” he said.
The Igbudu youth chairman added that since Agbarha indigenes were the majority in Mc Dermott ward, they should be given top priority when selecting who becomes councillorship in the area, just like Obodo/ Omadino ward in Warri South are the majority.
He said, “In the Obodo/ Omadino ward of the same Warri South Local Government council, the Agbarha people have 3 units, yet we have not produced a councilor there, not even for once. It is not an act of cowardice but a show of understanding. Why can’t they reciprocate our show of maturity and understanding?”
Also, Mr Samuel Todo, an Igbudu indigene appealed to the Delta State Government and the party leadership to intervene in the interest of peace.
