Nigeria Content Online

Hell was almost let
loose at Otu-Jeremi, headquarters of Ughelli South local government
area of Delta State, on Tuesday, as irate youth from the community
challenged the state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, and his deputy, Amos
Utuama, at the venue of the commissioning of the town’s road project.
The youth, numbering about 50, had patiently waited for the governor
and his entourage for some hours at the entrance of the town, before
storming the venue immediately the governor and his entourage arrived
in the town to commission the 4.6 kilometres stretch of road in the
community.

Trouble started
when the governor was about to make his speech, minutes after the
opening speech by the commissioner for Works, George Ugboma, who had
told the community that the road project was executed with a total sum
of N205 million, and was for the economic and social wellbeing of the
people. The youth, who had earlier vowed to stop the commissioning,
immediately swung into action, interrupting the speech of the governor.
All attempts to calm them down proved abortive, until the governor
asked them to come forward and make their demand, which he could not
meet immediately.

The youths got
angrier when the governor asked the state chairman of the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN), Goddowell Awomakpa, to pray for
deliverance for some of the leaders of the youth, who were then made to
kneel down in the full glare of the community. This act, and the
statements from the governor that the era of ‘area’ was gone in Delta
State, was too much for the youth to accept and they refused to keep
quiet or leave the presence of the governor, even in the full presence
of security personnel.

When it was
apparent that the youth were not ready to yield ground to the
embarrassment of the deputy governor, who was the chief host and hails
from the community, the governor left the area immediately.

Allegation of deceit

However, some of
the youth who spoke with our correspondent, said the roads being
commissioned by the governor was built by Shell Petroleum Development
Company (SPDC), including the two bridges commissioned yesterday. Some
of the youth also accused the governor and his deputy of deceiving the
people with commissioning of the projects, saying most of them were
executed by the immediate past governor of the state, James Ibori.

Efforts to reach the deputy governor’s spokesman has so far failed,
though some of his aides said they were preparing a statement for the
media later. The governor has earlier commissioned a bridge and some
stretch of road at Okhan, with many others lined up, as part of his
third year anniversary celebration in office.