Maladministration/Financial Misappropriation: Abavo Youths Debunk Allegations Levelled Against Agbeyeke

 By Dafe Rukevwe  

Abavo (Okpe) Youths leader, Comrade Augustine Nkemachor, has described Dr. Philip Eku Agbeyeke as a melodious local government Administrator genius, saying that recent media reports that alleged that he (Agbeke) was involved in maladministration and financial misappropriation of the council treasury when he served as Head of Personnel Management (HPM) in Oshimili South LGA ten years ago was a baseless accusation.

In a press release made available to journalists, Nkemachor said the said reports which intend to smear ignominy on his well-earned reputation in the administration, was an unfortunate development and a complete falsehood.

A statement issued by and made available to Newsmen in Asaba reads:

“Our attention has been drawn to a press report carried on the Oasis Magazine (OM) and Fresh Angle online platforms, captioned “Anxiety in Delta Council as indigenes, staff call for removal of administrative head”.

“After reading the said publication, our immediate reaction was to discountenance the story, but on a second thought, as a respected son of Abavo Kingdom and a man of integrity who has served in various local government across the state with many good track records and credentials, we are forced to release this press statement, knowing that if it is not refuted, the general public may erroneously believe the story to be true.

“The said story is a figment of the imagination of the sources of the allegations and the said write-up is a complete falsehood.

“Agbeyeke has never in his entire life been associated with maladministration and financial misappropriation of any council treasury and has never been found wanting or issued any query or indicted by his employers or any security agency in the past or present in Nigeria for financial misappropriation. So the sponsors of the story are at best playing a script written for them by his detractors with an aim to destroy his hard earned reputation and long years of service.”

The press statement continued: “It was also alleged that Dr Agbeyeke lobbied and bribed the Local Service Commission to post him to Oshimili South Local Government Council. It is on record that Dr. Agbeyeke is one man that has never lobbied for his posting or transfer. The detractors also alleged that he bribed the Commission with millions of naira to be posted to Oshimili South LGA.

“We want to state our defense with facts and dates for the general public to know that since the appointment of the present Local Service Commission headed by Comrade O. Oyibo, four years ago, Dr Agbeyeke has been transferred seven times.  On the 12th of January, 2015, he was posted to Aniocha South LGA, on the 21st of October, 2015 he was deployed to Sapele LGA, on 9th of June, 2016, Agbeyeke was transferred again to Warri South West LGA, on 3rd February  2017, he was redeployed again to Oshimili North LGA ,and later posted back to Agbor Zonal office on 27th October, 2018.

“Agbeyeke was transferred again to Aniocha North on 26th October 2018, and because Oshimili South LGA has been in crisis since the present Executive Chairman came on board, the Local Government Service Commission felt that a seasoned Administrator, crisis manager and a bridge builder who has done a similar job at various councils in the past should be posted to this crisis council to unite all parties and bring back the lost peace.”

This recent posting to Oshimili South LGA, he said did not go down well with a lot of detractors at the council because they know that he is a man of integrity and an administrator rooted on the ground and one who carries everybody along.

Nkemachor added: “It is also on record that before Dr. Agbeyeke was posted to Oshimili South LGA, he has equally written to the Local Government Commission Chairman to post him to his local government council but his request was turned down by his employer.

“We want to use this medium to appeal to people who are sponsoring this falsehood write-up against this man to change because according to the Holy Bible ‎Psalm 105:15 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm!” “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just, both of them are like an abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 17:15)

“Dr. Philip Agbeyeke is a respected member of Knights of St. Mulumba, a Rotarian and he is also a traditional Chief (Okiroro of Abavo Kingdom and Akwukwu- Igbo). We are soliciting to the public to discountenance the various vexatious publications.”