By Our Correspondent
An aspirant to the chairmanship position in Ugbenu-Oghara, Mr. Godfrey Okuma and one of his team Comrade Goddey Abinoko who escaped death by the whiskers from the alleged boys of one Favour Ededey, while narrating their ordeal to journalists in Sapele, appealed to the Delta State governor Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, the chairman of Ethiope West council, Hon. Solomon Golley, including their monarch Uku-Ogharaname, Orefe III, to prevail on Mr. Ededey Favour to give peace a chance by allowing them to democratically elect their chairman and executive officers instead of imposing a candidate on them.
Mr. Godfrey Okuma, while narrating his experience further, said four of them vied for the position of chairmanship of the community where a date was fixed for an election that was supposed to have been conducted at the community village square but to their chagrin one Favour Ededey from Oghareki came to their community, took them unaware by swearing in one Mr. Austin Bakpa as the chairman of the community at the home of one of the community chiefs.
He added that when he and other aspirants including members of theco mmunity confronted Mr. Favour Ededey as to why he single handedly took that decision without their knowledge even though he does not have the right to do such, immediately his boys (Favour Ededey) swopped on them beating and wounding many in the process with serious degree of injuries inflicted on them and were immediately rushed to the hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Mr. Okuma said before the crisis, many of the aspirants had already decamped to him, making him the popular candidate, yet their leader Mr. Ejiro Efetobor said for peace to reign and for proper democracy to prevail, the true principle of democracy must be observed hence they decided to observe due process before Mr. Ededey came in with his confusion.
The duo of Mr. Godfrey Okuma and Comrade Goddey Abinoko maintained that for peace to reign in the community all the aspirants must follow the examples laid down by their leaders Mr. Ejiro Efetobor and Comr. Israel who established youth activities in the community by contesting under a strict democratic tenet which allows the popular candidate to emerge as the true winner, appealing to all relevant authorities to come to their aid in entrenching acceptable leader to the entire community so that no life would be lost in this leadership tussle.
Meanwhile, one of those allegedly wounded by the said Ededey and his group who is currently in a danger list in one of the hospitals in Oghara Mr. Eseoghene Eghwareme said his offense to Mr. Ededey and his boys was that why did he had the gut to asked the question as to the reason for the imposition of candidates on them.
His words, Before I knew it after I ventured to ask favour and his boys that Nor be so we dey do am before oo, Na election dey give us President and Executives, before I finish talking I saw woods, iron rods flying all over my body, immediately I fell down and they started matching me all over, and I immediate pass out until they bring me come this hospital when Doctors revived me.
As at the time of filing this report neither Mr. Favour Ededey nor the monarch of Oghara could be reached for their comments as his phone (Ededey) was ringing consistently but he was not taking his calls, while the monarch who managed to pick his call after several calls on his line said I am in a meeting call me back later.
