Omokaro Fires Back At Unenurhie President-General, Accuses Him Of Mixing Community Dispute With APC Affairs

Says No Individual Can Monopolise Community Leadership Or Dictate The Political Choices Of Unenurhie Indigenes

Insists People Are Capable Of Making Independent Decisions

Mr. Oghenekaro Pius Omokaro has strongly faulted the President-General of Unenurhie Community Development Union, Comr. Williams Ilayah, over his reaction to the visit by some Unenurhie indigenes to former Executive Director (Projects) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr. Samuel Adjogbe, PhD, FNSE, accusing Comr. Ilayah of unnecessarily dragging partisan politics into the community’s lingering leadership dispute.

Mr. Omokaro, who led the delegation that visited Olorogun Adjogbe to apologise over their earlier position on the March 2025 community election, described the President-General’s rejoinder as an unnecessary attempt to politicise a personal and peaceful reconciliation initiative. He questioned the rationale behind Comr. Ilayah’s attempt to portray the visit as an effort to establish a parallel leadership structure, insisting that visiting a political leader, seeking reconciliation and maintaining cordial relationships cannot amount to a challenge to the authority of the community government. “Why should a simple visit to Olorogun Samuel Adjogbe become such a source of anxiety? Is it now an offence for Unenurhie indigenes to visit, consult or reconcile with somebody they consider a leader and also an Unenurhie indigene? Must every independent action by the people be interpreted as an attack on the President-General?” he queried.

Mr. Omokaro maintained that Comr. Ilayah should understand the clear distinction between community administration and partisan politics, stressing that the President-General is neither the spokesperson of the APC, Evwreni Ward nor the Ughelli North Local Government Area chapter of the party. He said the community election dispute is a separate matter before a court of competent jurisdiction and should not be used as an instrument to interfere with the political activities of other people.

According to him, the President-General should concentrate on his responsibilities within the community instead of attempting to dictate the political direction of individuals or presenting his personal interpretations as the collective position of Unenurhie indigenes.

Every political move has become a threat

Mr. Omokaro expressed concern that virtually every political engagement involving Olorogun Adjogbe now attracts suspicion and criticism from the Comr. Ilayah’s community leadership. He wondered why the decision of some indigenes to apologise, reconcile and subsequently participate in political realignment should generate allegations of manipulation and sponsorship. He described the development as an indication that some individuals may be uncomfortable with the growing independence of community members in making their own decisions.

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“Every move I make now appears to have become a threat to certain people. What exactly are they afraid of? Why should my relationship with other indigenes or my political engagements become a problem for anybody? Nobody owns the people, and nobody has the right to dictate whom they should visit or associate with,” he said.

Challenges allegations of sponsorship

Mr. Omokaro also challenged the repeated allegations that individuals protesting against the community leadership or expressing dissatisfaction with its decisions were being sponsored.

He recalled that when some Unenurhie youths protested against the leadership over issues surrounding Heritage Energy’s operations at the newly discovered oil location, the protesters were reportedly accused of acting on the instructions of external sponsors. He questioned why people could not be allowed to express genuine grievances without their actions being attributed to unnamed political interests.

According to him, the latest attempt to link individuals with alleged sponsorship is another way of avoiding the substantive questions being raised by community members. “When the people protested, they said somebody sponsored them. Now that people are asking questions and expressing their concerns, they are again looking for people to accuse of sponsoring them. Must everybody who disagrees with the President-General be sponsored? Is it impossible for Unenurhie indigenes to think independently and act according to their convictions?” he asked.

He insisted that allegations of sponsorship should be supported by credible evidence rather than deployed as convenient explanations for every disagreement.

Over 80 PDP, NDC members embrace APC at Adjogbe’s residence

Mr. Omokaro’s reaction comes amid recent political developments involving over 80 Unenurhie indigenes who have realigned with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Following the reconciliation visit, Mr. Omokaro led some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Mr. Augustine Stephen led some members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), to join the APC at Olorogun Adjogbe’s country home in Evwreni.

The development took place during a courtesy visit by the Ughelli North APC Working Committee, led by its Chairman, Olorogun Ofomukoro Olerhimena Lucky, JP.

Also present were the Evwreni Ward APC Chairman, Mr Godspower Orunuaduvwe, who is an indigene of Unenurhie, members of the Ughelli North APC executive committee and ward chairmen across the Local Government Area.

The Ughelli North APC Chairman subsequently acknowledged the courtesy visit and the reception of PDP, NDC defectors, expressing appreciation to Olorogun Adjogbe for his leadership, fatherly advice and commitment to the party.

Mr. Omokaro argued that these political activities are entirely within the framework of party politics and should not be confused with the internal affairs of Unenurhie Community Development Union.

He maintained that no community constitution can be interpreted to deny individuals their freedom of political association or prevent them from participating in activities of a political party.

Unenurhie people are not without eyes, ears and senses

Mr. Omokaro dismissed any assumption that community members could be manipulated into taking positions without understanding the issues at stake. He said Unenurhie indigenes are sufficiently informed to assess developments, identify their interests and make decisions without external instructions.

“The people have eyes to see, ears to hear and brains to reason. They understand what is happening around them. They are not children who must be told whom to visit, what to believe or which political association to embrace. Nobody should underestimate their intelligence or take their silence for ignorance,” he declared.

He added that while community members might hold different opinions about leadership, such differences should not become grounds for intimidation, personal attacks or attempts to discredit those who choose a different path.

“You may deceive some people some of the time, but you cannot deceive all the people all the time,” he added.

Oil discovery should unite, not divide Unenurhie

On the controversy surrounding the newly discovered oil location, Mr. Omokaro urged community stakeholders to prioritise transparency, accountability and peaceful engagement with relevant institutions.

He said the discovery of oil should be a turning point for infrastructure, employment, youth empowerment and improved living conditions in Unenurhie rather than an opportunity for political manipulation or endless leadership battles.

He cautioned that the community could lose valuable development opportunities if its leaders and indigenes continued to expend their energy on personal disagreements and accusations.

Mr. Omokaro insisted that genuine accountability should be encouraged, but allegations must be backed by evidence and addressed through appropriate channels. He urged Comr. Ilayah to stop conflicting the community’s electoral dispute with the political activities of Olorogun Adjogbe and other indigenes, adding that the pending court case should be allowed to run its course.

He said that Unenurhie is bigger than any individual or administration and that the community’s collective interests must take precedence over personal ambitions.

“No individual owns Unenurhie. No individual has a monopoly over its identity, its people or their political choices. The President-General should separate community affairs from party politics and stop treating every independent decision as a threat. Leadership is not about controlling people; it is about earning their confidence and serving their collective interests,” Omokaro stated.