The National Leadership of the Okpe Union, under the leadership of Mr. Patrick Akpotor have disclosed that there are no faction in the Okpe Union, that interim Imposters should be ignored.
This was made known to pressmen by the Union National Publicity Secretary, Mrs Atarhe Abuh.
Details of the release below:
10th April, 2021.
*PRESS RELEASE*
From: *The National Leadership of Okpe Union*
*THERE ARE NO FACTIONS IN THE OKPE UNION; INTERIM IMPOSTORS SHOULD BE IGNORED .*
It has come to the notice of the elected National leadership of the Okpe Union that some persons have been parading as interim leadership of our great Union and using the name of the Okpe Union to fleece unsuspecting personalities of Okpe extraction soliciting for financial support to execute bogus projects that are unknown and not approved by the Okpe Union. For some months now, the elected leadership led by Mr. Patrick Akpotor has exercised utmost restraint following entreaties by highly placed Okpe personalities who promised to intervene and call the usurpers to order.
In furtherance of their nefarious efforts to cause disaffection in the ranks of our branches and affiliates, the attention of NEC of the Okpe Union was drawn to the shocking viral broadcast by some leaders of the Sapele Okpe Community which purports to give credence to those claiming to be an interim leadership which is alien to the Okpe Union constitution.
The National leadership of the Union therefore state as follows:
1. That the Okpe Union which was established on May 16th 1930 and registered with the Colonial Government of Nigeria under the Land (perpetual succession) Ordinance No. 32 of 1924, on the 13th of December, 1934 to be the second registered ethnic union in Nigeria, is a members only organisation which bars none members from taking up any leadership position. Only a member of a branch of the Union who pays dues in accordance with the constitution of the Union can vote and vie for any of its leadership offices.
2. That the nine persons parading themselves as interim EXCO of the Okpe Union have only two members of the Union, Mr. Emurobome Idolor and Mr. Kenneth Eni who have been suspended indefinitely by the General Assembly of the Union on grounds of anti union activities. It is noteworthy that Mr. Kenneth Eni was the chairman of the Okpe Union Electoral Committee of the Okpe Union in 2016 that conducted the elections that brought into office the current outgoing National Executive Council of the Okpe Union. Before the expiration of the tenure, he joined hands with undemocratic forces in an attempt to derail and take over the leadership of the Union leading to his indefinite suspension.
3. The national election of the Okpe Union is now slated for the 14th of May, 2021 in accordance with the provisions of the Okpe Union Constitution which does not recognise any external power to intervene in the governance or administration of the Union. The reason for the shifting of the date from the previous May 1st 2021 is to enable branches complete their input in the ongoing constitutional review process.
4. We call on all members, branchesĀ and affiliates of the Union to continue preparation for the elections and ignore any distractions. The distractions are the handiwork of those who are not comfortable with the poise of the Union to speak for and protect the interests of the Okpe Nation. Like merchants of doom, they seem primed at executing an unpopular assignment whose only purpose is to destabilize and destroy the Okpe Nation. It is also clear that these individuals will stop at nothing to achieve the prebendal objectives of their paymasters.
5. We call on well meaning Okpe personalities and office holders to use their good positions to call all those championing the so called interim leadership of the Okpe Union to order before its too late. The NEC is resolved to safeguard the integrity of the Okpe Union and the Okpe Nation from these marauding beggars as the Okpe Union is not known for begging for alms from those it should demand stewardship and accountability from.
We pray that God grants us the ability to continue delivering on the vision and mandate handed to us by the founding fathers of the Okpe Union and who won accolades for resuscitating the Okpe monarchy of the Orodje, won several cases for the Okpe people, instituted a scholarship scheme which trained several Okpe overseas, organised Okpe people to contribute to the fund with which the modern Orodje’s Palace was built, and which continually held and projected the identity of the Okpe people.
Long live Okpe Union!
Long live the Orodje of Okpe!!
Long live Okpe Nation!!!
SIGNED:
Mrs Atarhe Abuh,
National Publicity Secretary, Okpe Union.