Delta Assembly Suspends Uvwie Council Boss
BEVERLY HILLS, August 04, (THEWILL) – The embattled chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Hon Henry Baro, has been suspended indefinitely by the state House of Assembly over alleged financial misappropriation and breach of public peace within his council area.
The suspension followed the breakdown of law and order at the council area over the controversial overthrow of the leadership of the Uvwie Central Motor Park chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW), which left several persons, including two police officers, with severe gunshots wounds last week.
THEWILL had exclusively reported last week that the crisis may trigger the impeachment of the council chairman who has been at daggers-drawn with the House of Representatives member representing Uvwie/Okpe/Sapele Federal Constituency, Hon Evelyn Oboro, who is a close ally of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
Reliable sources had told THEWILL last week that the State House of Assembly may be used to remove Baro from office if the council lawmakers failed to initiate impeachment moves against him.
Although it was not clear who made the allegations of financial recklessness against the embattled council boss, it was gathered that the State House of Assembly on Tuesday reached the decision to suspend Baro to allow for investigation into allegations of fraud leveled against him.
Confirming the development in a telephone conversation, a top member of the State House of Assembly who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Baro was suspended over alleged financial recklessness and breach of peace in the council.
The source disclosed that the motion for the suspension of Baro was moved by Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Tim Owhefere, and was unanimously adopted by the House to allow investigation into the allegations.
THEWILL was told that Governor Okowa had been unhappy with the council chairman owing to the crisis and reports which had embarrassed the state government.
Baro, an ally of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the last local government election in the state.
He has been engaged in a running battle with Hon. Evelyn Oboro, member representing Uvwie, Okpe and Sapele Federal Constituency at the National Assembly over the outcome of the last assembly election where the council chairman was accused of working against the candidate of the PDP who lost to Hon. Efe Ofobruku of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP).
Meanwhile, tension has again mounted in Uvwie and its environs following news of the suspension of the council boss as traders as well as servicing companies in Effurun near Warri had started closing their businesses for fear of a backlash by fierce- looking irate youths.
Local sources from the area disclosed that the development could further worsen the relative peace in the Effurun which also plays host to several oil and gas servicing companies in the state.