Appoint Askia as caretaker committee chairman and see crisis, Isoko South warns Gov. Uduaghan

Crisis is said to be brewing currently at Isoko South local government area of Delta state following the alleged proposed choice of the immediate past council chairman, Mr. Askia Ogieh as the caretaker committee chairman to be inaugurated soonest by

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. The matter has before now laid to rest before it resurfacing few days ago.

The choice of Mr. Askia whom has been vehemently rejected by political leaders, elders, women and the youths in the area is said to be allegedly been spear headed by beneficiaries of the council's monthly allocations.

It was reliably gathered that youths in the area have allegedly concluded all necessary arrangements to shot down all oil and gas flow stations in the area should the governor appoint him (Askia) to head the caretaker committee due to be set up soonest.

Meanwhile in a strong worded warning petition by a group called Isoko South Vanguard for Good Governance, signed by its National President, Mr. Okobaro James and its Secretary General, Mr. Josiah Oghoberuo, addressed to Governor Emmnauel Uduaghan with the caption 'Re: Appointment of Askia Ogieh As Caretaker Committee Chairman' and copied the Deputy Governor, office of the first lady, Delta state, Director, SSS, Commissioner of Police, EFCC, Abuja, Portharcourt, ICPC, Abuja, Benin city, Isoko South political leaders, Isoko South traditional rulers, All human rights groups in Nigeria, NBA, Isoko South branch as well as the press among others, told the governor that 'With your intention to appoint Mr. Askia Ogieh as the caretaker committee chairman for Isoko South council to the detriment of the people will not only spark off disunity among the people but also inflict fresh wounds and crisis in the ever peaceful land. The man you want to appoint as caretaker committee chairman has series of pending cases with the EFCC and ICPC over corrupt practices while in office as Chairman. If at all your administration has zero tolerance for corruption, then such a man with several criminal records dangling over his neck should never be allowed to head public offices any longer. The man, Askia Ogieh, you want to appoint as caretaker committee chairman also has pending cases with sacked workers, Hotel De-Olive where he stayed for over two years as the council chairman which he has vehemently refused to pay the bills, also has a pending case with the IC-Global Micro-Finance Bank for his refusal to pay back a loan granted him as well as a pending case with his councilors over abuse of office, mal-administration and misappropriation of council funds. '

The pressure group while drawing the attention of the governor to what they called so many actrocities of the immediate past council boss, alerted Dr. Uduaghan that 'Over 70% of the problems that Your Excellency and PDP have faced in the area were as a result of the yunwholesome activities of Askia Ogieh. The appointment of him will not only be suicidal but also an indication that Your Excellency's information network system is very poor or an indication that you don't have the true interest of the Isoko South people at heart. Is the governor not aware that the man, Askia Ogieh embezzled the council funds meant for the development of the area to build Estates in Accra, Ghana and other parts of the country? The same Askia Ogieh sacked over 450 workers and has been unlawfully collecting the salaries of the affected workers for over two years. Your Excellency, the man you intend appointing as caretaker committee chairman, left the council with debt running into millions of naira, abandonment of several projects embarked on by his administration, he has been named by a suspect presently in police net as an alleged suppliers of guns and ammunitions to thugs and cultists in Uzere and Isoko South in general. He was responsible for the bombing of INEC office, Oleh, dumping of caskets at the Isoko South council secretariat in 2002, also responsible for burning of government vehicles at the Ozoro expressway and also alleged to have provided guns used for the killing of one late Ogbokri Uwomano during the 2003 House of Assembly election in Uzere. Has your excellency taken time to ask why you were booed and stoned at Oleh in 2009 and why Your Excellency was prevented from entering Uzere before the re-run election. Either way, shouldn't Your Excellency ask why the re-run couldn't hold in Askia Ogieh's home town, Uzere, or why the PDP lost in Uzere and entire Isoko South council area in the just concluded April, 26 th , 2011 election. Your Excellency must be told that Askai Ogieh is evil, a cultist and so fetish that should be kept at pole's length as all well meaning Isoko South people will rather have a goat as caretaker committee chairman than the devil incarnate who strives in corruption.'

The battle ready group, warned the governor that should he ignore their warning on the subject matter and go ahead despite all the resistance of Isoko South people to appoint Askai Ogieh as caretaker committee chairman, an uncontrolabe definite closure of all oil and gas flow stations in the area shall be the last option. 'Should Your Excellency choose to ignore all these warning and go ahead to appoint Askia Ogieh as caretaker committee chairman, then you should be prepared for the conquences that awaits your action.'

It would recalled that Mr. Askia Ogieh was rated as the most corrupt council chairman Isoko South ever produced as well as the most featured council boss with corrupt practices.

When a call was put across to Mr. Askia Ogieh over the petition against him and other allegations, he denied all the allegations but however promised to get back to our reporter that he was in a crucial meeting and he never did before press time.

 
Citizen Reporter, Oleh.