Group Accuses Edo APC Secretary Over Alleged Undue Lopsided Appointment
By The9jaTREND
A concerned group who are card carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oredo local government area of Edo State has raised the questions over alleged lopsided appointments by the State APC Secretary, Lawrence Okah centers largely on perceptions of favoritism and exclusion, particularly regarding the local government area.
This development has caused a palpable tension in Oredo Local Government Area as Lawrence Okah is accused of one sided appointments to favour one ward out of the 12 wards that make up Oredo LGA.
In the petition signed by Osamuyi Osadiaye, Coordinator of the group – a copy made available to newsmen in Benin noted that Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State has 12 wards, explaining that these wards are further divided into various polling units but the APC Secretary Lawrence Okah has used his office to outrightly left the remaining 11 wards to wallow in absolute neglect carried along in the present administration.
The group was specific that the appointments of the following positions are only concentrated in ward 7 alone which are:
- State Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC,
- Local Government Party Chairman
- LGA Assistant Treasurer of APC
- Edo House of Assembly Member, representing Oredo West Constituency
- LGA Publicity Secretary of APC
- LGA member, Edo Produce Board
- Member representing Edo South in Oil and Gas who happens to be the son of the state Secretary of APC, Mr. Lawrence Okah
- Three Senior Special Assistants and 2 Special Assistants to the speaker, Edo State House of Assembly.
- 15 Oredo revenue collectors
- Supervisory Councilor, Oredo and many more.
The group frowned at this development where only Ward 7 has taken the afformentioned positions and still agitating for the chairmanship position of the local government where 12 wards exist, describing it as undemocratic and an affront to the principles of equity, justice and fair play in the scheme of things.
Most worrisome according to the group is the boasting aspect of the secretary saying the governor has his ears and listen to everything he says reason is about picking one Gabriel Iduderi also known as Gabros from Ward 7 as the sole candidate for Oredo local government Chairman in the forthcoming election. They appealed to the State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo to allow other Wards in the Local Government Council Area to also have a representation in the council as well as the state government level.
They expressed optimism that the Governor, following his track records of strictness, would listen to them and correct the one sided appointmentts as they further appealed to him to use his good office to allow any other Wards to produce the chairman for equity and fairness.
As at the time of filing in this report, all efforts made by The9JaTREND to get the reaction of the Edo State APC Secretary, Lawrence Okah over the allegations levelled against him was unsuccessful as he ignored all calls put across to him.
