By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
A social crusader, Wilson Ruvwoghor has accused the Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of governance rascality in the composition of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC executive.
In a press release, Mr. Wilson frowned at the appointments made into the commission by the governor which he stated were done in total disregard to the constitution of the commission which clearly stipulates that the chairmanship of the commission should be rotational among the various ethnic nationalities in the oil producing areas of the state.
The latest appointment by the governor made Hon. Michael Diden, aka Ejele the chairman of the commission whereas, the immediate past chairman of the commission, Godwin Ebose is from the same Itsekiri ethnic nationality with Diden.
Wilson also wondered why Okowa has decided to impose an Itsekiri on Urhobo when it is the turn of the Urhobo to chair DESOPADEC.
Also, he debunked the claim that Michael Diden is not Itsekiri but paternally Okpe. In his words:
“It doesn’t matter whether Ejele (Diden) is full, half, or quarter blooded Okpe. He has chosen not to be Urhobo by politics. Check through Itsekiri, Warri North precisely, he has been council boss, DESOPADEC commissioner, Delta State House of Assembly member and maybe more.At what point has he been an Urhobo political office holder? At what point has Ejele cast general election vote in Urhobo land? Is it now that it is Delta Central statutory rotational turn to be DESOPADEC chairman that Ejele must be promoted as an Urhobo man?”’
Wilson called on all Urhobo to rise against the injustice to the Urhobo nation by Governor Okowa.
The Centre for Human Rights and Anti -Corruption (CHURAC) has meanwhile, gone to court to challenge the appointment of Hon. Michael Diden as DESOPADEC chairman. CHURAC is praying the court to declare Diden’s appointment as null and void because it is the turn of Urhobo nation to produce the chairman of DESOPADEC.
