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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The leadership crisis rocking the Odovie community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has deepened as one of the leaders, Friday Oboba, has raised alarm over an alleged threat to his life.
Oboba raised the alarm in a petition to the Inspector General of Police and Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5.
He alleged that threats were coming after the election that produced new executives of the community.
Oboba, the former vice president of the community, alleged that there were plans to release a Toyota Sienna car and other valuable community documents kept in the custody of the Ofuoma Division Police Station, under Ughelli Area Command to one of the two factions.
According to him, the community conducted an election in June 2022, when Benjamin Idoghor emerged as the new president and was sworn in the presence of the outgone chairman to pilot the affairs of the community in the next three years.
Oboba said few days after Idoghor was sworn in, one Omokri emerged from the blues with a parallel executive, assuming the position of chairman of the Odovie community.
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He alleged that since the election, there has been a series of threats, saying that the newly sworn-in executive, the outgone chairman has not stepped foot in the community.
As a result of the leadership tussle, he said the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, Oharisi III, instructed the outgone president, Mr Francis Okevvie, to keep all properties of the community in the custody of Ofuoma Police Station pending when the issue is resolved.
Oboba said the case was already before an Ughelli Magistrate Court, adding that there was a restraining order against the conduct of another election and recognising any other person other than Idoghor as the newly elected president.
Oboba said any attempt or plan to release the properties in the custody of the police when the matter was still in court will amount to contempt.
But the Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 5, DSP Tijani Momoh said there was no time police planned to release any property to any of the factions, since the matter was in court, saying that the allegation was false as they were planning on how to take the property from Delta to Zone 5 pending when the court decides.
