By Our Correspondent
People of Omadino community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have been urged to leave the Olu of Warri Kingdom, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli out of the leadership succession tussle rocking the Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC.
The people have also been warned to desist from attempting to hoodwink the peace-loving people of the area.
A group of professionals of Itsekiri extraction under the aegis of Concerned Itsekiris for Peace, Truth and Transparency, CIPTT, gave the warning, during a telephone conversation with our reporter, while reacting to a media report credited to the outgoing financial secretary of the IRDC, Mr Roland Yomere.
According to the body, the said report which was published at page 12 in the Vanguard of Monday, 28th of March, 2016 alleged that the Omadino people are in support of a particular candidate for the chairmanship of the IRDC, adding that the said aspirant also has the backing of the Olu of Warri.
Chairman of the group, Dr. Ofeoritse Omadeli who described the Olu as a deeply respected national leader and peace-loving father of Itsekiri nation, whose reign has ushered in the much desired peace, communal friendship and mutual co-existence as well as added dignity and hope for the entire Warri Kingdom, berated Mr Roland Yomere and his group for dragging the highly revered ruler into such chairman nomination matter of the IRDC.
Omadeli noted that such desperate agitators are only fanning the embers of disunity among the subjects by making undue reference to the origin of the Omadino people as having migrated from Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, describing such a statement as unnecessary, pontless and inflammatory.
Dr Omadeli declared that the IRDC has a constitution guiding it and it is the responsibility of a constituted authority to nominate who emerges as chairman, stressing that the system and manner of nomination should be strictly followed.
The chairman of CIPTT recalled that during his inaugural speech on Thursday, 14th of January, 2016 at his palace in Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, the Olu of Warri acknowledged that, “Truth is the most vertable tool in resolving any crisis or issues in our community”. Therefore, any attempt to shy away from the truth in the IRDC chairmanship nomination will only make matters worse, he added.
While advising all Omadino community and other stakeholders not to be misled by anybody or group, the concerned professionals stated that officials of development committees should, as a matter of duty, offer meaningful advise for peace and constructive development measures and not to hoodwink an innocent and undiscerning public with unpopular tactics and misleading name-dropping.
