Outrage Over Attempt To Hijack White Paper On Ogwashi-uku Inquiry By Powerful Politicians

    Tensions have erupted within the Delta State government following credible reports that the official White Paper on the long-awaited Ogwashi-Uku Commission of Inquiry is being secretly altered by very senior influential government political figures to protect vested interests.   Sources claim that the Governor is outraged at the blatant attempt to deviate from […]

 

 

Tensions have erupted within the Delta State government following credible reports that the official White Paper on the long-awaited Ogwashi-Uku Commission of Inquiry is being secretly altered by very senior influential government political figures to protect vested interests.

 

Sources claim that the Governor is outraged at the blatant attempt to deviate from the findings of the Commission of Inquiry and his public pledge to implement the recommendations.

 

The Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Hon. Justice Ejiro Nina Emudainohwo with members Dr (Mrs) Josephine Awosika, Dr (Pharm) Paul Enebeli, and Emeritus Prof. Andrew Onokerhoraye and representatives of the DSS and State Police, spent several months investigating deep-rooted disputes over kingship, land ownership, and chieftaincy matters in Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom and its neighbouring communities.

 

Their findings, described by insiders as “one of the most thorough and evidence-based reports ever produced”, recommended decisive action to restore order, uphold court rulings, and protect the traditional authority of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku.

 

The Governor of the State when he received the report pledged to implement the findings of the report fully.

 

This public pledge by the governor is apparently being hijacked by serious vested interests.

 

From Transparency to Tension

 

When the Commission submitted its report, Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori publicly assured that its recommendations would be implemented faithfully.

 

To that end, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu, appointed a White Paper Committee.

 

According to confidential sources, the Committee’s initial draft White Paper mirrored the Commission’s recommendations in full.

 

It reportedly called for the prosecution of individuals who had unlawfully declared themselves traditional rulers of parts of Otulu Ogwashi and Olodu Ogwashi in violation of Delta State laws.

 

It also rejected attempts of autonomy by these individuals, addressed land mismanagement and urged reconciliation between the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and his brother.

 

The Alleged Hijack

 

However, in what insiders describe as a “blatant hijack”, powerful political figures — some accused of annexing entire villages amounting to thousands of hectares of community land — are now allegedly pushing to rewrite portions of the White Paper before it reaches the State Executive Council for adoption which has caused outrage and anger.

 

Documents sighted by journalists suggest that these politicians have benefited from controversial land allocations, allegedly secured through quid-pro-quo arrangements involving political loyalty, resources, and influence.

 

Critics claim that the alterations are intended to legitimise these land grabs, undermine the Obi’s legal authority, and distort the historical record.

 

“The motive is simple — to change court judgments, rewrite history, distort traditions, and create a legal cover for the takeover of the kingdom’s vast resources,” one committee insider revealed.

 

Division in Government

 

The alleged interference has reportedly caused problems. While some members are pushing to uphold the Commission’s unaltered findings as a matter of justice and public trust, others — allegedly aligned with the implicated politicians — are advocating for the doctored version.

 

“This is more than a political dispute,” one government source warned. “It’s a dangerous provocation that could destabilise the entire state.”

 

Sources in government house disclosed that there has been celebrations inside the office of the deputy governor since the doctored report was put together.

 

Mounting Public Outcry

 

Community leaders, traditional institutions, and civil society groups are sounding the alarm, warning that any attempt to suppress or distort the truth could trigger widespread unrest.

 

“This is a tinder box,” said another insider. “The people know the truth of what the Commission found. To replace it with political fabrications is to invite protests and possibly violence.”

 

The original Commission findings have not been released in full, but insiders insist they are fair, historically accurate, and rooted in both tradition and law.

 

What’s Next — And the Question of Will

 

As Governor Sheriff Oborevwori who many say respects the rule of law and is outraged considers the White Paper, the stakes could not be higher.

 

The decision will test not just his administration’s commitment to transparency and the rule of law, but also his personal political will to confront entrenched power brokers within his own government that have altered the report behind his back.

 

The central question now confronting the state is stark: Will truth and justice prevail? Will the governors pledge which was rooted in transparency and fairness remain — or will political manipulation win the day under the Governor’s watch?