…Urges Aggrieved Aspirants to Approach the Law Court for Redress
By Sunday Apah
The Delta State Government has affirmed Mr. Jacob Bekederemor popularly known as ‘Don Aziza’, as the duly elected chairman of Otughievwen Community, directing all aggrieved persons to approach the law court for redress.
The State Government, which made this known through a reply letter to Ukoko Re’Ighelle Ughievwen (Youth Wing) by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development stated that it acknowledged a correspondence with the title “Urgent attention to the unjust issuance of certificate of participation in the just concluded Otughievwen Community election and the need for your prompt and gracious intervention.”
According to the reply letter dated July 3rd, 2026, and duly signed by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Hon. (Evang) Princess Pat A. Ajudua Ph.D, stated that “on the above subject matter, we wish to inform you that the Otughievwen Community in compliance with the constitution of Otughievwen Community and the Delta State Community Regulation Law of 2021, informed the Ministry of their intention to conduct their community election on March 16th, 2026.
“However, the election did not hold due to disagreement. The Electoral Committee then communicated with the Ministry about another date for the election, which was fixed for April 1st, 2026 and also ended in violence.
“This development led to the Chairman of the Ughelli South Local Government and the security agencies taking it upon themselves to resolve the issues and communicate their resolution to the Ministry.
“It was after their intervention that the Ministry received a letter from the electoral committee that the issues have been resolved and part of the elections have been conducted with the remaining officers to be filled on the 3rd of June 2026, which the Ministry witnessed.
“It was based on this intervention that the electoral committee of Otughievwen Community presented the elected officials to the Ministry and it is these officers that were issued certificate of recognition.
“It is therefore an aberration to say that the certificates that the Ministry issued is causing “devastating effect on the entire community with several injuries”.
“The electoral committee is the body recognized by the constitution of the community to conduct their elections, and if the community feels the committee is not acting in their best interest, they can take action against them.
“If there are also persons aggrieved as a result of the outcome of the election conducted by a duly constituted electoral committee, they also have the law court to get redress.
“The Ministry therefore wishes to state that we have only acted within our mandate and our actions have not led to any crisis, rather we believe persons who where not successful at the elections are the ones fermenting trouble in the community”, it added.
