By Our Correspondent
The last may not have been heard about the purported leadership legislative change in Uvwie Local Government Council which occurred Wednesday February 17, as the 10 Councilors loyal to the ousted Uvwie Council Chairman, Hon. Henry Baro Minabonware have raised alarm, saying they were denied access to the legislative building by hoodlums who claimed they have been sacked from office alongside Hon. Baro Minabonware.
In a Statement circulated via social media platforms, the 10 councilors, including the sacked House Leader, Deputy and Chief Whip claimed that as they drove into the council premises for scheduled sitting, “over three hundred hoodlums attacked us, pulled us out from our vehicles and beat us mercilessly, brandishing all sorts of dangerous weapons, denying us access to the legislative building”.
The aggrieved Councillors wrote thus;”Today 17th February 2016 upon a summon of an emergency sitting of the entire Uvwie Local Government Legislators by the Clerk of the house in compliance with directives from the Delta State House Of Assembly the 10 councillors who resisted the removal of Hon Henry Baro who was recently removed from office as Council Chairman by the Delta State House Of Assembly were today molested by hoodlums perceived to have been hired for that purpose.”
According to them also; “Though the permission to attend the sitting was first sought and approved by the Chairman of the Council, Chief (Mrs ) Stella Dabonor who guaranteed that the council will be safe, free from any form of harassment.”
“But to our dismay,as we drove into the council premises, over three hundred hoodlums attacked us, pulled us out from our vehicles and beat us mercilessly brandishing all sorts of dangerous weapons ,denying us access to the Legislative building saying we have been sacked from office alongside Hon Henry Baro.
Before then, we the embattled councillors paid the new Local Government Chairman Chief Stella Dabonor a courtesy visit at her residence where we congratulated her and assured her of our undying loyalty. It’s so ironic that under her watchful eyes as Chief Security Officer to the local government, hoodlums could hold the council to hostage and deprive councillors who were duly elected to represent their constituencies from attending legislative proceedings”, they stated.
The embattled Councillors expressed gratitude to God and Men of the Nigerian Army who came to their aid “when the script of the power that be were being acted to the face of the whole world”
Our Correspondent reports that fresh political leadership crisis on February 17 broke out at the Uvwie Local Government Council Secretariat in Effurun, headquarters of the Local Government in Delta State when 10 councilors at about12:30pm mobilized to the Council Legislative Arm to chase the other 10 of their colleagues, believed to be loyal to the sacked Uvwie Council Chairman, Hon. Henry Baro Minabonware and effect massive change in the House leadership.
It was gathered that the councilors allegedly drove in with the Council Legislative bus, took over the mace and impeached the former leader, Ebimeiwe who is loyal to Hon. Minabonware and enthrone a new leader, Glory Otuedon.
The new House leader, Hon. Glory Otuedon, a male, is the councilor representing Ugbolokposo, the only Itsekiri ward in Uvwie Local Government Council Legislative Arm.
A new Deputy leader, Timmy Ukwade was also installed, while the new Chief Whip is Tony Taire.
It would be recalled that when the Uvwie Council leadership crisis broke out several months ago, only five councilors were disloyal to the then Chairman, Hon. Minabonware, but the change of political leadership at the local government appears to have made the erstwhile Chairman, Hon. Minabonware lose more legislators in the Council Legislative Arm.
Meanwhile, our checks revealed that the sacked Uvwie Council Chairman, Hon Henry Baro may head to the court to challenge his removal from office by the Delta State House of Assembly.
A dependable source told our Correspondent that; “I can tell you authoritatively that Hon Henry Baro has concluded plans to go to court over his illegal removal from office. He is expected to go to Court on Thursday, February 24,2016 to fight for His right.”
