The leadership of Otughievwen Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, has rejected a report claiming that the Delta State Government recognised Mr Jacob Ogedegbe, popularly known as Aziza, as Chairman of the community, describing the development as false and an attempt to blackmail Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
In a statement issued on Friday and jointly signed by the community’s Executive Chairman, Augustine Garri, and the Eldest Man of the Edion-In-Council, Tamukara Mukoro, the community insisted that Garri remains the duly elected and serving chairman.
The community also criticised an online publication by the Daily Independent, authored by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Sunny Apah, which claimed that the state government had recognised Ogedegbe as chairman.
According to the statement, the report contradicted an earlier publication by the same newspaper and reporter on June 8, 2026, which acknowledged Garri’s victory in the June 3 community election and his subsequent inauguration by the Edion-In-Council.
“It is a deliberate attempt to blackmail Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and a clear departure from responsible journalism,” the statement read.
The community maintained that the election was conducted on June 3 by an electoral committee led by Godwin Mukoro under the supervision of representatives of the Ughelli South Local Government and the Divisional Police Officer of Otu-Jeremi Division.
It said Garri secured 10 of the 18 delegate votes cast, while Ogedegbe polled seven votes and another contestant, Sunday Durume, received one vote.
The statement explained that, under the community’s constitution, the electoral committee’s responsibility ended with the declaration of results, while the Edion-In-Council retained the authority to inaugurate the winner and introduce the new leadership to relevant stakeholders.
It added that Garri had since been sworn in and formally presented to organisations, including the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and other stakeholders, as the substantive chairman of the community.
The community faulted the Delta State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Princess Pat Ajudua, over the alleged recognition of Ogedegbe.
Responding to comments attributed to the commissioner that her ministry recognised officials presented by the electoral committee, the community argued that the committee had no constitutional authority to present elected officers to the state government after declaring the election results.
The statement alleged that the recognition of Ogedegbe amounted to a conspiracy aimed at creating confusion in the community.
It disclosed that a petition had been submitted to the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, seeking an investigation into the commissioner’s actions and calling for her prosecution over allegations of inciting a crisis in the community.
The community also demanded that the Daily Independent and its reporter retract the publication, urging members of the public to disregard the report.
It reaffirmed that Augustine Garri remained the legitimate Executive Chairman of Otughievwen Community.
