The imminent return of Hon. George Ekpemupolo, former Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government and sibling to Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, ex-Ijaw militant leader as Chairman of the local government in the October 25, 2014 local government poll may break the political peace deal between Ijaw and Itsekiri, Fresh Angle can exclusively report.
Investigations reveal that Hon. George Ekpemupolo’s running mate, Blesson Omadoye and other foot soldiers of the ex-Warri South-West Council boss may have confirmed Hon. Ekpemupolo’s imminent return when they submitted his nomination form to Delta State PDP headquarters, Asaba on deadline day, June 30, 2014.
It was also reliably gathered that a former councilor and chairmanship aspirant to the council’s plum job, Hon. Weyinmi Omadeli a.k.a Bobby also picked the PDP chairmanship nomination form for Warri South-West as against speculations that he may have settled for councillorship position.
Speculations have been rife that Hon. George Ekpemupolo who took over democratic power from Itsekiri born Hon. David Tonwe after the latter served a single tenure is keen to return as Chairman of Warri South-West local government against the one tenure rotational peace agreement between Ijaw and Itsekiri of the local government.
Hon. David Tonwe served a single tenure as chairman of the council as a result of the agreement reached immediately after the Ijaw, Itsekiri Warri crisis which was triggered by the location of Warri South-West headquarters.
Stories had filtered into town that Hon. George Ekpemupolo who is maternally an Itsekiri was hinging his return as Warri South-West Chairman on his maternal-ties to Itsekiri.
Though details were still sketchy as at the time of this report, but there are indications that some Ijaw and Itsekiri leaders may have reached a compromise to return Hon. Ekpemupolo so as to pave the way for a peaceful election of an Itsekiri man as chairman of Warri North local government, even as insinuations mount that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s senatorial ambition may be the crux of the fresh power arrangement.
Some Ijaw political leaders in Warri North and Warri South-West local government areas had allegedly demanded the chairmanship of both local governments in the October 25, 2014 poll if they must back Dr. Uduaghan’s senatorial ambition in 2015 against the wishes of the incumbent Senator, James Manager.
Pockets of PDP leaders in Warri who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that the whole idea of returning Ekpemupolo as Warri South-West Chairman is to allow him complete his second tenure against the gentleman agreement of single tenure each for Ijaw and Itsekiri.
×
![]()