LAGOS JULY 27TH (URHOBOTODAY)-There seems to be palpable tension in Uvwie local government area of Delta State as crisis between Uvwie Local Government Chairman, Hon Henry Baro and some councilors in the local government council has generated to crisis point with the affected councilors calling on chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State to come to their aid.
The gross of Baro against the distressed councilors according to information reaching Urhobotoday, an online medium is that the councilors who are members of PDP refused to deliver his House of Assembly candidate, Hon Efe Oforbruku who is a candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), an opposition party to their party.
The PDP councilors affected are Hon Victor Okoloba, Glory Utuedor, Hon Efe Ani, Hon.
Rotimi Okuade and Hon. Wilson Eghrudje.
The councilors wondered how could Henry Baro who was elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turn around overnight and mobilize them to support a member of opposition party to represent Uvwie local government council in the State House of Assembly, arguing that such action is not only tantamount to biting the fingers that fed them, but it is an anti-party activity hence they were elected on the platform of PDP.
The councilors disclosed that after Baro’s candidate lost to PDP Candidate, Engr. Matthew Itsekeri in the House of Assembly election, they have not known peace as they have been receiving one threat or the other from the local government chairman.
They complained that Baro had refused to pay them their salaries for six months and he has been going about boasting to those who care to listen to him that he would chase them out of the council.
The councilors who taught his threat was an empty one received a shock of their lives when thugs allegedly hired by Baro stormed the premises of the local government council and started attacking them with dangerous weapons. They flee from the council premises with many of them sustaining various degree of injuries. Some of them left their vehicles behind and fear of further attack by alleged hired Baro’s thug deter them from not going to collect their vehicles.
Narating his ordeals to journalists, one of the affected councilor alleged that they were marked for suspension right from the day of electioneering campaign for not joining Henry Baro to deliver Hon. Efe Oforbruku of SDP as against the choice of the PDP.
He stressed that working for Oforbruku will be tantamount to Anti-Party since they were elected under the platform of the PDP.
This was the same position held by the other four councilors who said they have no personal problem with the council chairman, adding that they were being punished for working for their party and defending what is right.
On his part, Hon Ani said “we have not been on the good book of the chairman for daring to fight for our rights. For not supporting his choice candidate, the Chairman had refused to pay our salaries, whereas the principal officers are being paid as at when due.
According to him, “Our offence is that he called us to work for Hon. Efe Oforbruku who is an SDP member and we replied it is Anti-Party rather five of us printed T-Shirts with Okowa, Oboro and Engr. Matthew Itsekeri’s photos with our names boldly written on them.
“His supporters told us that one day we are going to be chased out of the council. We thought they were joking. That joke has come into reality today when we ran about two kilometers for our dear lives”.
Another affected councilor, Hon. Wilson Eghrudje alleged that the PDP LGA Chairman in Uvwie and one Hon. FBI were equally beaten by thugs suspected to by hired by Baro for refusing to work for Hon. Efe Oforbruku, just as he recalled that the threat to deal with them started about six months ago.
“Since we were sworn in, we have never disobeyed the council chairman. Where he asks us to go is where we go. These people are fighting us because we refused to work for Efe Oforbruku of the SDP,” he alleged.
Another victim, Hon Glory Utuedor said problem started immediately the chairman presented his Annual Budget “as he was leaving, he whispered something to the majority leader, thereafter one Hon. Martins Akporhe in the process of moving a motion for the suspension of the five of us on the allegation that we are plotting to remove the leader and deputy leader. This lead to serious argument.
“As the argument persist, before we knew what was happening, some hoodlums and thugs who came with the chairman even when he has left stayed behind. We know some of them. One of them is Daniel Okpokpo and another known as Napoleon Adibu popularly known as Napeps. These people are neither councilors nor staff of the council.
“One of them called Daniel Kpokpo slapped Hon. Victor Okoloba. I had Hon. Victor screaming for help. As the situation got worse, the thugs advanced and increased in number. That was when we ran for our liveses.”
He explained that as at the time of filing this report, his car and that of Victor Okoloba are still in the council premises with the instruction to the thugs that at anytime they set their eyes on them, they should attack them.
The councilors called on the leadership of the Delta State PDP, Rt Hon. Monday Igbuya – Speaker Delta State House of Assembly, Senator Ighoyota Amori – Senator Representing Delta Central, Hon. Evelyn Oboro-Federal House of Representatives Member representing Uvwie, Okpe and Sapele, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa – Governor of Delta State to come to their aids.