…accuses govt of bias

By Festus Ahon

ASABA—The lingering kingship tussle in Uwheru Kingdom of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, took a twist, yesterday with a section of the kingdom protesting alleged government plan to present staff of office to one Mr. Agbaovwe Afugbeya as their king.

The protesters numbering over 500, who stormed Asaba, marched from Summit Junction to the State Government House on Anwai Road, office of the Deputy Governor on DBS Road and the office of the Commissioner for Justice on SSS Road, chanting songs of disenchantment. They accused the state government of bias.

While accusing the state government of supporting a section of the community against the other, they said there will be crisis in the kingdom should the state government go ahead to present staff of office to Afugbeya and gazette him as king of the kingdom, when the matter was still in court.

The protesters, who were drawn from the five ruling houses in the kingdom, carried placards with various inscriptions.

Expressing their dissatisfaction over the manner the issue was being handled by the state government, they called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, his Deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro and the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Peter Murakpor, not to go ahead with the purported plan to recognize Afugbeya as king of the kingdom until the issue was decided by the Court of Appeal.

Meanwhile, the people, in a protest letter addressed to the state governor and signed by representatives of the five ruling houses of Erovie, Ehere, Urede, Egbo and Ohoror, and read by Joseph Osiobe of Ehere Quarters, said: “We the under signed, representing the entire ruling house of Uwheru Kingdom, hereby, object to the recognition, gazetting and presentation of staff of office to Agabovwe Afugbeya, as the matter of succession to the throne or kingship is still pending before the Court of Appeal in Benin City.”