CDHR Suspends Immediate Past Delta Chairman, Sets Up 3-Member Caretaker Committee

By Daniel Dafe

Following the incident on July 15, 2025, at the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) during its Delta State Annual Branch Convention held at Victory View Hotel, Udu Local Government Area, the National Executive Council (NEC) has imposed a 6-month suspension on the immediate past chairman, Comr. A.P. Edariese, citing unconstitutional conduct.

A caretaker committee with Comr. Charles Oviri, Coordinator Udu Unit 1, as Chairman; Comr. Engr. Charles Okuekenye, Coordinator Ika Unit, as Secretary; and Comr. Dennis O. Eru, Coordinator Udu Unit 2, as member has since been constituted.

The Annual Branch Convention, which marked the end of the executives’ tenure, was to feature an election to usher in new executives but failed after the immediate past chairman attempted to bypass constitutional provisions, first, to disenfranchise delegates of the Branch Coordinating Council in some units from participating in electioneering processes to ensure his anointed candidates succeeded in all elective positions.

The situation led to persons suspected to be thugs masquerading as CDHR members to storm the premises, harassed the 2 National Executive Committee (NEC) members who were delegated to oversee the state election as stipulated by the constitution. The electoral process was disrupted, and members were forced to vacate the venue late at night, awaiting the NEC’s decisions as constitutionally mandated.

Following the evacuation of the election venue, the immediate past chairman, Comrade A.P Edariese, demonstrated extreme eagerness by convening an unauthorized session at his residence, where he unilaterally declared his preferred candidates for all elective positions.

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The suspension, as communicated in a letter signed by Comrade Ejike Nwokoro, National Acting General Secretary of CDHR, and addressed to the immediate past chairman, reads as follows:

“We are writing to communicate to you that, in accordance with resolution 8 of the National Executive Committee (NEC) emergency meeting held virtually on 25 July 2025, you are hereby suspended from the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) for a period of 6 months.

“This decision follows your misconduct during the Delta State Branch Biennial Convention and Election held on 15 July 2025. As reported in the NEC adopted report on the aborted election, your actions, along with others, frustrated the process of constituting the Electoral Committee and disrupted the electoral process. Your suspension takes effect from 25 July 2025, and you are directed to:

1. Handover all CDHR properties in your custody to the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee set up for your branch within one week of receipt of this letter.
2. Desist from using the name of the organization or relating with it in any manner or form.

“You are expected to comply with these directives immediately.”