* David Omare was disqualified – ELECO Chairman
*You lied, ELECO screened and cleared David Omare – ELECO Secretary
By Cletus Opukeme, Warri
Controversy trails the 2022-2024 Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom governing council election which brought Victor Okiri who was formally inaugurated by His Royal Majesty Couple Oromoni few days back.
The ELECO Secretary Mr. Samson Oyimi opposed the inauguration of Mr. Victor Okiri, saying that the monarch inaugurated the wrong person outside the duly screened, cleared and forwarded name to him, a person of Mr. David Omare. That Mr. Victor Okiri never participated in the election process, by purchasing form and was never screened.
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He declared the inauguration of Mr. Victor Okiri illegal, unconstitutional and wants to be null and void, until the duly screened candidate Mr. David Omare is sworn-in and inaugurated as Ogbe-Ioh governing council as substantive chairman for 2022/2024.
The Electoral Committee Chairman Mr. Tiebebedigha Sylvester had told Daily Watch that the electoral process that brought Victor Okiri was free and fair after Mr. David Omare was disqualified following violation of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom governing council constitution.
Asked why David Omare disqualification was endorsed by him only out of six man Electoral committee? He replied ” After ELECO discovered the discrepancies in David Omare and action was to be taken, Mr. Samson Oyimi who is the secretary led other members to oppose the disqualification because they are blood brothers. My secretary convinced other members of the electoral committee to take side with David Omare not to disqualify him, even though his candidacy violated Ogbe-Ijoh constitution. I have to write a minority report to the traditional council of chiefs who authorized me to endorsed the disqualification letter” He told Daily Watch.
But the secretary of the ELECO Mr. Samson Oyimi countered his ELECO chairman that Mr. David Omare was not disqualified and that he was screened and cleared for complying with all the constitutional provisions and the name was forwarded to the Ogbe-Ijoh traditional ruler and chiefs for inauguration.
But wondered how Mr. Omare David’s name was removed and the monarch inaugurated the wrong person, Mr. Victor Akposeseye
Okiri in replacement of David Omare as against the constitution of the kingdom.
Oyimi said ” The ELECO chairman was not transparent as an umpire. Screening of 12 members new governing council was cleared, signed and sealed with David Omare as Chairman Oturubiri quarteron the 3th February, 2022 by six man Electoral committee in document carrying all the ELECO members signatory. Then, you maneuvered and manipulated the document alone by writing a disqualification letter secretly without the knowledge of other members contrary to the provision of the kingdom constitution that David Omare has been disqualified. You went and brought another man who did not purchase form, screened whether qualified or not. You single-handedly passed David Omare’s replacement to the traditional council of Chiefs and such illegal nominee Mr. Victor Akposeseye Okiri was sworn-in alongside other 11 duly screened members. Things are not done that way. Ogbe-Ijoh is an enlightened community with men and women of timber and caliber.
” I want to ask my ELECO chairman few questions; 1. When Mr. Victor Akposeseye. Okiri was screened and by who? 2. Do you remember that David Omare was screened and cleared by the ELECO in a document bearing all the committee members, including your signature boldly appearing on the white paper?
3. Do you know that Ogbe-Ijoh constituon does not give the power to an individual person, including the ELECO chairman to take a unilateral decision, more especially on fundamental issue of disqualifying a candidate representing a quarter?
4. Do you also know that on that said day, a purported disqualification letter was written, according to the Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Electoral committee 2022 electoral time table, there was no activity?” Oyimi queried.
Meanwhile, the Chairman Ogbe-Ijoh Community Electoral Committee, Chief Sylvester Tiebebedigha told Daily Watch the electoral committee disqualified Chief. David Omare due to gross violation of the community constitution.
Chief Tiebebedigha, disclosed that ELECO led by him as chairman disqualified David Omare because he violated the constitutional provisions chapter two ( 11) section ten (10), subsection five (5) which states that ” For the purpose of an election into the Governing Council, a person cannot aspire for any position outside the quarter where he/she reside. David Omare violated on that portion of the constitution. David Omare was disqualified because he first aspire to contest in Ikiandumu and he lost out, then he came to Oturubiri quarters to recontest. That is dual registration based on which my committee screened him out and recommended another qualified person from the same Oturubiri quarter in the person of Chief Victor Akposeseye Okiri as the selected candidates of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom as stipulated in the Ogbe-Ijoh constitution 2003/2015 as amended (quarter rotation)”‘ He said.
According to him, said: ” Even in Nigeria circular elections, an electorate cannot register in two different polling units at a time and vote concurrently. Such electorate will be automatically disqualified by the electoral umpire or the voters machine during election process. The case of David Omare can be likened to that scenario l just cited above. He double crossed the Ogbe-ljoh community constitution, hence his disqualification became imperative, “Sylvester noted.
The ELECO Secretary called on the Delta state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Ijaw traditional Council as well as President Ijaw National Council (INC) Professor Benjamin Okaba to intervene in the matter for peace,love and unity in the town.
