Posted to the Web: Tuesday, September 26, 2006

In a statement signed by its co-ordinator, Mr. Clifford Ajuachi, and PRO, Jones Emuakpodjea in Warri it said it has concluded plans to make wide consultations among leaders of the ethnic groups that comprise Warri South.

The group, made up of politicians of Warri Urhobo and Itsekiri origin, added that the consultation is necessary in order to forestall a situation where candidates of non-Warri indigenes are imposed on the people of Warri South local government area.

It said that it recognises the Urhobo of Agbarha-Warri and Okere; Itsekiri of Ugbori, Ugbuwangue, Ajamimogha and other Itsekiri riverine communities as indigenes of Warri South local government area, regretting that in the past non-Warri Itsekiri and Urhobo have dominated the politics of the area, saying that it is “a situation which we are no longer ready to accept,” adding that “no amount of political gimmick or trick would change our mind..”

The group alleged that a serving commissioner in the Ibori administration, who was a local government chairman is being imposed as the leader of the campaign team of a gubernatorial aspirant from Delta South, adding that the commissioner who is paternally non-Warri Ijaw and maternally Itsekiri has not been carrying indigenes of Warri South along even when he was chairman.

Congress for Ward Indigenous Politicians alleged further that the gubernatorial aspirant, who a serving con-imissioner is fronting for, lied in his declaration when he said he is related to Enemejuwa family of Agbarha-Warrii. “The truth is that the gubernatorial aspirant’s father and Chief Enemejuwa were co-workers in a local court in Ward. They are never blood relations. So the Agbarha-Warri Urhobo people and indeed the general public should not be deceived with such false claim,” the statement added.