We Pressured Chukwudi Dafe To Run For Chairmanship, Says Ojo

The Member representing, Ukwuani Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Dr. Alphonsus Ojo, has revealed the circumstances that led to the choice of Ogbuefi Chukwudi Dafe for the chairmanship seat in the local government by political stakeholders in the area.

Speaking to journalists in Obiaruku recently, he disclosed that when Dafe was initially approached to run, he (Dafe) turned down the offer, adding that it took the persuasion from traditional rulers in the area to make him (Dafe) reluctantly accept.

His words: “Chukwudi Dafe respects the voice of wisdom and elders. Reluctantly, he agreed when these groups of persons met him.”

He recounted how some politicians in the area protested over the choice of Dafe in the race, describing the act as an exhibition of pull-him-down syndrome.

He said: “We went to see the Governor over this, as some persons were bent on making sure that Dafe does not come back as Chairman. The governor even promised to send someone to monitor another party primary after Dafe won the first one. They were bent on removing his name from the list of those that will contest.”

Recounting why they considered Dafe as the right man for the job, Ojo said that Dafe performed excellently well when he was a Council Chairman, adding that he set a high standard that his successors could not beat.

He added: “All the laudable projects that he started were abandoned, despite the fact that some of his successors had a bountiful harvest in terms of allocation. “Remember when Goodluck Jonathan was president, they had this Sure-P arrangement in the council, just like other local government areas across the country, yet there was nothing to show.

“Some of the projects he started were abandoned and we thought that if we did nothing to bring him back, the monies invested in those projects due to abandonment would be wasted.”

These reasons, he said, made them pressure him to contest.

According to Hon. Ojo, “the reason why some party leaders objected to the choice of Dafe was envy,” describing them as “lazy politicians who are scared of his rapid growth in the political arena and are afraid to compete favourably.”