By Sunday Apah
Mr. Emmanuel Edirin, President-General of Otor-Ogor Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, has vehemently denied accusations of maladministration, abuse of office, and financial impropriety.
He characterized these claims as a coordinated effort by a small group of relatives and associates of his accusers, who, he suggests, are discontent with his administration’s stringent approach to combating crime.
Following a recent protest against his leadership, Edirin asserted that the demonstration did not reflect the views of the majority of Otor-Ogor residents, maintaining that most of the community remained supportive of his tenure.
He also noted that HRM Okiuemute Igere I, the traditional ruler of Ogor Kingdom, has publicly condemned attempts to sow discord within the community and continues to advocate for peaceful dispute resolution.
“The protest was not carried out by the women and youth of Otor-Ogor Community as has been portrayed. It was orchestrated by a handful of family members and relatives of those making these allegations against me. The wider community is well aware of our accomplishments and is proud of this administration,” Edirin stated.
Edirin further contended that the persistent attacks against him are directly linked to his unwavering commitment to eradicating drug trafficking, cultism, and other criminal activities. “I made it clear that anyone involved in selling cocaine, Colorado, or other hard drugs would face arrest, regardless of their connections. Many of those now criticizing my administration became unhappy because some of their relatives were implicated,” he explained.
He affirmed that all significant decisions made during his administration are thoroughly documented and were always undertaken with the community’s best interests at heart. “Everything I have done is documented. I have no reason to fabricate information. My conscience is clear because every decision I made was for the development, peace, and security of the Otor-Ogor Community,” he emphasized.
The President-General also pointed out that his current accusers had themselves led an administration lacking transparency. He recounted his experience as Vice Chairman under a previous administration, during which he was suspended by the Council of Elders over alleged community liabilities, despite, he claims, never being informed about the transactions.
“I was suspended due to alleged liabilities to the community. While those matters were documented, I was never privy to any of them,” he revealed. He alleged that he was routinely excluded from crucial decisions despite holding the office of Vice Chairman. “People brought gifts, such as bags of rice and vegetable oil, to the community, but I was never informed about the quantities received or how they were distributed,” he added.
Edirin further claimed he was never consulted before community transformers, including one donated by Hon. Mannering, were removed and sold. “I knew nothing about the sale of the transformers. Even the transformer near my wife’s shop was removed because they claimed it had developed a fault. I was neither consulted nor informed,” he stated. He considered resigning at the time because the suspension was damaging his political reputation over transactions in which he played no part.
He also accused the then President-General of diminishing his office, quoting him as saying, “He told me I was only a figurehead and that my role would only become relevant if he left office or died. Eventually, he apologized, but from then on, I decided to distance myself from him.”
Regarding allegations concerning the community’s purchase of his Toyota Sienna, Edirin clarified that the transaction followed security recommendations prompted by rising criminal activities. He explained that the factory-fitted Sienna Limited Edition was a gift from his employer and was already advertised for sale when executive members proposed acquiring it for the community vigilante group.
“The Divisional Police Officer advised that the vigilante needed a patrol vehicle. I initially refused to sell my vehicle because I did not want anyone to accuse me of benefiting from the community. Eventually, after much persuasion, I sold an ₦8 million vehicle to the community for ₦6 million,” he elaborated.
On claims involving a freezer and plasma television, Edirin insisted both items were legitimately purchased. “The same person who later accused me had earlier sold those items to me. When he later accused me of stealing his generator, I became concerned he might also accuse me of stealing the freezer and television,” he said. He demanded receipts for the items multiple times and even offered to return them if his money was refunded.
The President-General also dismissed assertions that he sold community land. He explained that the controversy revolved around land ownership, known to Mr. Monday Otobrise, President-General of Ogor kingdom, where Edirin opposed efforts to classify the land as belonging to the entire kingdom rather than the Otor-Ogor Community. “Several people signed documents relating to the land, but I refused because I believed the land belongs to the Otor-Ogor Community,” he affirmed.
He disclosed that he petitioned the Council of Elders after discovering that portions of the forest had allegedly been encroached upon and sold without proper consultation. “Otor-Ogor Community did not sell the land. Individuals who claimed ownership sold it, while part of the proceeds was later paid into the community account,” he clarified.
Edirin highlighted his administration’s success in transforming the community’s power sector, which he said inherited unstable electricity. He claimed that no previous President-General had installed as much electricity infrastructure as his administration. “Before my administration, there was no stable electricity. Today, we have installed three brand-new transformers, high-tension lines, armored cables, and completed the electricity distribution network,” he stated. He explained that one transformer was facilitated by an influential community member working with NEPA, while the others resulted from lobbying and community support.
He also defended the introduction of electricity connection contributions, which he said became necessary after electricity bills escalated from ₦500,0
