ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State government has directed the use of zoning policy in conducting Community Development Committee and other sensitive leadership elections in communities to stave off crisis in the state.
The directive was part of the recommendations made by the state Committee for the Resolution of Peretoru community crisis headed by the Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo during its meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.
A statement by the media aide to the Deputy Governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, noted that the committee resolved to completely oversee the conduct of the next CDC elections in Peretoru on or before July 18, 2021.
The committee also resolved that the current CDC and Welfare Association should be allowed to serve out their tenures as stipulated in the community’s constitution.
It added that government would not only take over the conduct of the election, but also ensure the exclusion of serving CDC members from contesting the forthcoming election in the interest of peaceful transition.
The Conflict Resolution Committee also announced the suspension of the Peretoru community constitution and set up a 90-member committee to immediately commence work on its review.
The Constitution Review Committee is made up of 25 members each from the three zones of the community and five representatives each from the Amananaowei’s Council, CDC and Welfare Association of Peretoru community.
The committee also advised the paramount ruler of the community to be neutral whenever there is misunderstanding among his subjects to make for easy resolution of such disagreement as well as engender peace in his domain.
While reacting to the resolutions of the committee, the Deputy Governor directed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the election of a new CDC executives in the community.
Ewhrudjakpo said: “What we are saying is that, the suspension of the CDC and Welfare Association did not follow due process. illegality cannot give birth to legality. So, to that extent, both the Welfare Committee and CDC will return to their positions and carry out their duties.
“We are thinking that you people have to adopt a new model which is working for most big communties. If the chairman’s position is zoned to the Central zone, let the zone go and conduct their election and bring out the chairman. North and South should leave them alone to choose.
“If you do that, there will not be any serious interest or role for the North or South to play in the emergence of the candidate. If the particular zone fails to bring their candidate, the position will remain vacant until the tenure expires or they bring their person. If they fail, the vice will be acting.”
He however pointed out that the state government would only be directly involved in the conduct of the upcoming elections, while the Welfare Committee would oversee subsequent ones after the successful review of the Peretoru Community Constitution.
Also speaking, Technical Adviser to the Governor on Conflict Resolution, Chief Boma Spero- Jack, assured the people that the committee would investigate the alleged stealing of the N45 million belonging to the community.
Chief Spero-Jack stressed the need for leaders of the community to judiciously use funds for the development of the community and avoid unnecessary crisis.
On his part, Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area, Dr Bertola Perekeme, announced the decision of the committee barring the Peretoru Welfare Association members from sponsoring any candidate for the CDC election, adding that government would soon set up an independent electoral committee for the process.
Also speaking, a representative of the state Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Commissioner, Operations, DC Aminu Alhassan, warned that the police would not tolerate violence during the election.
The Amananowei of Peretoru, His Royal Highness Timi Odikeme, thanked the government and the committee for their efforts in restoring peace in his domain, describing the resolutions as fair to all.
Chairman of the Peretoru CDC, Mr Boboye Afingi and other community leaders also commended the committee for their impartiality in resolving the crisis and promised to abide by the decisions of government in the interest of peace.