…As Conference sacks Idolor, Eni
By John Silas
Delegates at the 2020 National Conference of Okpe Union have unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the current National Executive Council led by Mr Patrick Akpotor.
Apart from extension of the tenure of the current leadership for five months to enable it conduct a credible, free and fair election into the national executive council, the conference also nominated and adopted a five-man electoral committee to organise elections into the national executive council of the Okpe union within five months from 14th November, 2020.
The disclosure was made at a Press Briefing delivered by the President General of Okpe Union, National Headquarters, Mr Patrick Akpotor in Okpe House, Obalende Lagos during the Okpe Union National Conference on Saturday.
The National Conference of Okpe Union also known as General Assembly comprises delegates from its branches in the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, hence remains the highest decision making body of the group.
Supporting the President of the union during the press briefing were Barr Kingsley Akpederin, General Secretary, Roseline Atarhe Abuh, National Publicity Secretary, amongst others.
The 2020 national conference also considered the state of the Okpe Union and recent developments regarding the purported dissolution of the elected national leadership of the union including imposition of an interim committee of the Okpe Union.
The conference noted that the Okpe Union being a registered organisation under the Lands Perpetual Succession Ordinance of 1924 and thus under the Corporate Affairs Commission, is an autonomous organisation with its Constitution and under the Nigerian Federal laws that govern incorporated non-governmental organizations.
Delegates at the conference insist that the recent purported imposition of some individuals as interim leaders of the Okpe Union, who were given unauthorized powers to preside over the affairs of the union for two years and delegates unanimously rejected the infliction of the interim leaders.
According to akpotor, the conference also rejected the purported dissolution of the national executive council of the Okpe Union and imposition of a nine-man interim national executive council for two years and holds it to be unconstitutional, illegal and void.
The President also made it public that delegates at the conference nominated and adopted 15 Okpe personalities to be recommended to the corporate affairs commission for registration as Members of the board of trustees.
Okpe Union members applauded the peaceful nature of all Okpe people, urging them to remain law-abiding and support the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Delta State government of Senator Ifeanyi okowa.
Delegates appeal to the federal government to reward the Okpe people, being one of the highest oil and gas producing ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta.
The delegates also appealed to the federal government to transform the Sapele Technical College, one of the oldest in Nigeria, to a Federal University or Polytechnic to create capacity in the teeming of youths of the area and generate employability.
They also used the opportunity to call on the Delta State Government to complete the Delta State Polytechnic, Elume, Sapele which construction commenced during the Administration of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The delegates equally decided that Prof. Emurobome Idolor and Prof. Kenneth Eni who are the only Okpe Union members amongst the imposed Interim National Executive Council be suspended indefinitely from the Okpe Union.
“That Prof. Emurobome Idolor and Prof. Kenneth Eni who are the only Okpe Union members amongst the imposed Interim National Executive Council are hereby suspended indefinitely from the Okpe Union.
