The Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Youth Council and Ijaw Youth Council Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Clan Chapter have appealed to His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, to uphold zoning arrangements in the forthcoming local government elections.

In a letter addressed to the Governor of Delta state, the groups highlighted that the Itsekiri community had the first elected chairman, followed by the Gbaramatu Ijaw, and then back to the Itsekiri. According to them, with this pattern, it is now the turn of the Ijaw, specifically the Ogbe-Ijoh Ward, to produce the next chairman.

Comrade Kenneth Ebi Ikoro, President of the Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Youth Council, and Comrade Moses Omare, President, Ijaw Youth Council, Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Clan stated that this agreement has maintained peace and unity between the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities in Warri South West Local Government.

They also mentioned that after the tenure of the Gbaramatu Ijaw, only Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba Wards are left to produce an elected chairman, according to the zoning arrangement.

Part of the letter reads, “The Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Youth Council and Ijaw Youth Council Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Clan Chapter wish to bring to the notice of the Governor of Delta State that by zoning arrangements between the Itsekiri and the Ijaw in Warri South West Local Government that as fostered unity and peace in the last three (3) elected executives of the Council. In the “gentlemen agreement” as shown in the table below, the Itsekiri had the first elected Chairman of the Council, late Hon. David Atikpekpe and the Vice Chairman was late Hon. Daniel Akada from Gbaramatu.

“After the Itsekiri elected tenure, the Gbaramatu Ijaw produced the next elected Chairman, Hon. George Ekpemupolo with his Vice an Itsekiri, Hon. Blexons Omadoyi and after their tenure, the Chairmanship position went back to the Itsekiri and Hon. Taiye Duke Tuoyo became the next Chairman. It’s now the turn of Ijaw to produce the next Council Chairman. Gbaramatu Ijaw having taken their turn in the person of Hon. George Ekpemupolo, leaving Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba Wards as the Ijaw yet to produce an elected Chairman.

Comrade Kenneth Ebi Ikoro, President of the Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Youth Council, and Comrade Moses Omare, President, Ijaw Youth Council, Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Clan expressed the group’s loyalty to the Governor of Delta State while urging for a positive response to their appeal for the next chairman to come from Ogbe-Ijoh Ward.