Delta Commissioner resigns to pave way for brother’s ambition
…Resignation not enough — Aggrieved constituents tell former Delta commissioner
By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
As preparations for local government elections in Delta State have commenced, Delta state Commissioner for Technical Education, Onyemaechi Joan has resigned from the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
In a video posted by Ossai Ovie Success, Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Onyemaechi, who was also a former House of Representatives member, said she resigned to give way to her younger brother to emerge as Aniocha South local government council chairman.
She said the office of the chairman is zoned to her Ubulu Uku clan but people of the local government have complained that she cannot hold office of commissioner while her brother holds office of local government chairman.
In the argument, one office must go for the other, hence she decided to resign in order to pave the way for her brother to become chairman.
According to her, someone helped her to grow in politics and now she is a political consultant and as such, she has to allow her younger brother to grow and become politically relevant.
…Resignation not enough, aggrieved constituents tell former Delta commissioner
Meanwhile, despite tendering her resignation as a commissioner in the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Hon. Onyemaechi Joan seems not to have placated the aggrieved persons in her local government area as some aggrieved persons in the local government are demanding more.
Trouble started when some persons in Aniocha South local government area of Delta State raised an eyebrow that all major political offices allocated to the local government have been hijacked by Joan and his siblings while other parts of the LGA have been left without any.
Joan took the office of commissioner allocated to the LGA while his brother just served as the local government chairman and plans to go back for the second term. This did not go well with the people in the local government area.
In view of the protest from the people, Hon. Joan resigned her appointment as commissioner in the state but the people are saying the council chairmanship should go to Nsukwa clan in the LGA.
In a voice message, made available to our reporter, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party in the local government area, Mr Andrew Okolie from Ubulu-Unor, who is also from Joan’s clan, remarked that the chairmanship should be zoned to Nsukwa clan in the spirit of fairness and justice.
Meanwhile, aggrieved protesters from Aniocha south local area of Delta State, yesterday barricaded the entrance to the Government House, Asaba, the State capital to register their grievances over what they called “impunity” in the local government council ahead of the council election.
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), members, under the aegis of Concerned Nsukwa Clan Youths, with the slogan, “Equity,” demanded justice to the injustices done to them since 1999.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “Nsukwa Clan is not a political slave,” “say yes to equity, fairness, justice and balance in Aniocha south,” “youth of Aniocha south endorse Nsukwa Clan mandate.”
Others are “say no to political impunity, manipulation and oppression in Aniocha south,” “on equity we stand,” “Nsukwa Clan council chairmanship 2024 is non negotiable.”
Also, “Senator Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa let Aniocha south breathe,” “say no to family business in Aniocha south,” “Nsukwa Clan deserve the council chairmanship,” and “Nsukwa Clan want council chairman or no deal,”
They threatened to boycott the party in 2027 if the right thing was not done.
The siege mounted by the aggrieved youths did not only disrupt free movement of vehicles into Government House for hours but also paralysed activities.
