Akweya assert right to lead Otukpo LGA

Dr Sam Ogiri, former ACDA National President

WHY WE THE AKPA DISTRICT SAY IT’S OUR TURN AS THE CHAIRMAN OTUKPO LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL, BENUE STATE

We know this piece may look so awkward to some people but we all need to tell ourselves the truth: ARE WE NOT BEING MARGINALIZED IN OTUKPO LOCAL GOVERNMENT?

Let me start with a brief history of the local government and its succession of the local government chairmen before some set of people still thinks it’s still
not the turn of AKPA TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE OTUKPO GOVERNMENT Council.

Otukpo local government was created in the year 1923 formerly called IDOMA NATIVE AUTHORITY. It was then later changed to IDOMA DIVISION in the post colonial period.

At present Otukpo local government is made up of four districts; namely OTUKPO, AKPA, UGBOJU and ADOKA.

It also has thirteen council wards namely; Ugboju-Icho, Otobi, Adoka-icho, Ewulo, Okete, Allan, Ugboju-Otahe, Ugboju-ehaje, Entekpa, Adoka-Ehaje, Otukpo Town 1, 11, 111.

There are seven departments in the local government, there are: ¬¬
1. Personnel Department
2. Revenue Department
3. Finance Department
4. Education Department
5. Agric Department
6. Health Department
7. Works Department.

If anyone feels that the AKPA people are not being marginalized, he/she should tell us how many of the AKPA sons and daughters are working in the above listed departments? Statistics have shown that apart from the Health and Education Departments, we have fewer than six (6) people from the AKPA District working in the other departments.

And at every succession of chairmen replacement is being carried out in the local government. It will even shock you more when you take a look at the successions of chairmen in the local government.

WHAT HAVE THE AKPA PEOPLE DONE TO DESERVE THIS FROM OTUKPO LOCAL GOVERNMENT? When the drinkable water coming to the local government headquarters comes from the AKPA people.

Let’s take a look at the succession of OTUKPO local government chairmen from the year 1996 when OHIMINI local government was created from OTUKPO local government in 1st October 1996; that was when Otukpo local government was left with four districts.

"We the AKPA people are saying this is our time to make a change in Otukpo local government."

SUCCESSION OF OTUKPO LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL CHAIRMEN
NAMES YEAR DISTRICTS
1 HON GODWIN UKPOJU APRIL 1996-DECEMBER,1996 ELECTED/ADOKA DISTRICT
2 HON ADOGA DECEMBER, 1996-MARCH, 1997 SOLE  ADIM/OTUKPO DISTRICT
3 HON  GODWIN  UKPOJU APRIL 1997-JULY 1998 ELECTED/ADOKA DISTRICT
4 MR U.A GBILEVE (DPM/SEC) 21-27 JULY 1998 ACTING/TIV
5 MRS C.I. OKWOCHE JULY 1998-MAY 1999 SOLE ADIMIN/OJU LGA
6 BARR GODWIN O.OBLA MAY 1999-MAY 2002 ELECTED/OTUKPO DISTRICT
7 HON ABRAHAM ACHEGBULU MAY 2002-DECEMBER, 2002 CARETAKER/ADOKA DISTRICT
8 BRIDGET EBUTE (HPA) 6TH -11TH DECEMBER, 2002 CARETAKER/ADOKA DISTRICT
9 HON ABRAHAM ACHEGBULU DECEMBER, 2002-AUGUST, 2003 CARETAKER/ADOKA DISTRICT
10 MOSES ONUMINYA 4TH -18TH AUGUST, 2003 SOLE ADMIN/AGATU LGA
11 BARR.GODWIN OBLA AUGUST, 2003-FEBRUARY, 2004 CARETAKER/OTUKPO DISTRICT
12 ENG ALEX. EFU 23RD FEBRUARY-MARCH, 2004 CARETAKER/UGBOJU DISTRICT
13 BARR. GODWIN OBLA APRIL, 2004-APRIL, 2005 ELECTED/OTUKPO DISTRICT
14 HON MOSES OGLEKWU 25 APRIL 2005-JULY 2005 CARETAKER/ADOKA DISTRICT
15 BARR. GODWIN OBLA JULY 2005-NOVEMBER, 2006 ELECTED/OTUKPO DISTRICT
16 HON JOSEPH  AMANYI NOVEMBER 2006-JANUARY 2007 CARETAKER/UGBOJU DISTRICT
17 HON SAM ODEH JANUARY 2007-JUNE 2007 CARETKER/OTUKPO DISTRICT
18 MRS MARY ODEH JUNE-JULY 2007 DGSA/OKPOKWU LGA
19 MR SALEM ATSEHE 7TH -13TH JULY 2007 DGSA (TIV)
20 BARR PAUL H. OGBOLE JULY 2007-1ST AUGUST, 2008 CARETAKER/ADOKA DISTRICT
21 HON DR INNOCENT M. ONUH 1ST AUGUST 2008-16TH MARCH 2010 ELECTED/UGBOJU DISTRICT
22 HON VICKY O. ABEDA 16TH MARCH, 2010 -14THAPRIL, 2010 COVER DUTY/AKPA DISTRICT
23 HON DR INNOCENT M. ONUH 1ST APRIL 2010-31ST DECEMBER, 2010 CARETAKER/UGBOJU DISTRICT
24 SIR WILFRED DUENYA (KSJ) 31ST DECEMBER, 2010-31ST MARCH, 2011 SOLE ADMIN/(TIV)
25 HON DR INNOCENT M. ONUH 1ST APRIL 2011-9TH MAY, 2012 CARETAKER/UGBOJU DISTRICT
26 SIR WILFRED DUENYA (KSJ) 10TH MAY 2012-25TH MAY,2012 CARETAKER/(TIV)
27 HON GABRIEL OLOFU 25TH MAY 2012-27TH NOVEMBER, 2012 CARETAKER/ADOKA DISTRICT
28 HON DR INNOCENT M. ONUH 27TH NOV 2012-27 NOVEMBER, 2014 CARETAKER/UGBOJU DISTRICT
29 MR RAYMOND GANGE 27TH NOVEMBER, 2014-3RD FEBRUARY, 2015 ACTING/(TIV)
30 MR G.O ONMEJE 3RD FEBRUARY, 2015-8th APRIL ACTING/ADO LGA
31 DR INNOCENT M. ONU 8TH APRIL 2015-3RD MAY2015 CARETAKER/UGBOJU DISTRICT
 32 MARIAM KARTYO 3RD JUNE 2015-6TH JULY, 2015 ACTING/(TIV)
33 HON IJACHI UDEH 6TH JULY 2015-7TH JULY, 2016 CARETAKER/ UGBOJU DISTRICT
34 MR TERZUNGWE DEAKPE 7TH JULY 2016-22ND AUGUST, 2016 ACTING/(TIV)
35 MATTHEW ELIYEKUN 22ND AUGUST,2016-2ND SEPTEMBER, 2016 ACTING/APA LGA
36 SIR LUKE AHOH (KSJI) 2ND SEPTEMBER -11TH OCTOBER, 2016 ACTING/MKD LGA
37 HON GEORGE ALLI 11TH OCTOBER, 2016-31 MARCH 2017 SOLE ADMIN/ OTUKPO DISTRICT
38 OWOICHO A. AMALI 31ST MARCH,2017 –TILL DATE SOLE ADMN/ OTUKPO DISTRICT
 
Looking at this succession, the other three districts will see that a lot of injustice has been done to the AKPA district even from the Caretaker Committees to the elected, when we have capable elites that can lead in all capacity. We the AKPA people are saying this is our time to make a change in the Otukpo local government, or ‘is it the interest of the other three districts (ADOKA, OTUKPO and UGBOJU) to be rotating the succession of the local government chairmen within themselves? If yes, let the AKPA people know so that we will know our stand in the local government. If any party needs the AKPA district vote, then it’s time to allow the sons and daughters of AKPA district to fly that party’s flag in the upcoming local government council election. We have greatly been marginalized in the Otukpo local government in employment and appointment into the various departments in the Otukpo local government council.

The elites of AKPA DISTRICT, it’s time to ignite the change we all wish to take place in the AKPA district.  We have been known for our transparency and hard work in every area we find ourselves and we know, if AKPA DISRICT is being given the opportunity as the next chairman of Otukpo local government council we will make a great impact in the local government council. We write this to our brothers from various districts in Otukpo local government and cry out to IDOMA people at large to see the level of marginalization that the AKPA DISTRICT is going through in the hands of our brothers in OTUKPO local government council.

POWERED BY:
AKPA YOUTH PROGRESSIVE FORUM, OTUKPO BRANCH AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AKPA STUDENTS.
Signed Signed
……………………. ……………………
Adeka Richard Adeka Comr. Patrick Odeeh
Chairman AYPF Otukpo branch President NAAS
Signed Signed
………………………   ……………………..
Onkpe Augustine Onaji Ondoma Godwin Ika
Project coordinator Project Secretary