Court begins hearing of 13% derivation suit against Uduaghan, Okowa

By Peters Monday, Abuja

The Delta State High Court sitting in Warri, on Tuesday, commenced hearing of the 13% derivation suit filed against the two former governors, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

The case was instituted by angry Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Delta State which was led by foremost human and development advocate, Comrade Mulade Sheriff to seek the stewardship of the money which ought to have been used for the development of the state.

However, Mulade cited reasons why residents of the state instituted the case against the two former Governors, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, DESOPADEC and Attorney General of the State to High Court, Warri for the interpretation of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 13 (1) of the DESOPADEC Law 2006 (as amended) 2007, 2015 and 2018 respectively, and to account for over N1.8 trillion Naira of 13% oil derivation funds to oil producing communities of the state.

The environmentalist asserted this during the court section on the 4th of July, 2023 at the High Court, Warri when representatives of Itsekiri, Ndokwa and Isoko Ethnic Nationalities filed to join the suit seeking interpretation and accountability of 50% of 13% oil derivation fund to Delta State under former Governors, Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.

Recall, Mulade had recently mobilized oil and gas-producing communities in the State to the Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, imploring the commission to investigate and recover their missing and misappropriated funds back to DESOPADEC to enable the state commission carried out developmental projects in the host communities.

The Peace Ambassador explained that the immediate past commissioner for information, Mr Charles Aniagwu confirmed to Arise TV that former Governor Okowa remitted only N208billion against 538,725,142,776.085, adding that over 330bn Naira of oil and gas producing Communities of the state is missing, hence the demand for accountability and stewardship.

While responding to questions from journalists, the former chairman of oil-rich Kokodiagbene Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West LGA of the State, Mulade narrated, “We are not going to be distracted by hired political sycophancy, who are trying to bring political colouration and other primordial sentiments to instigate the gullible public to undermine the genuine demands to know how our resources are being spent. We are for accountability and transparency and we are prepared to use our last drop of blood to fight for a better deal for our suffering people who are supposed to be enjoying the funds from their natural resources.

“It is worthy of note that what we are fighting for is to recover our missing funds and equally free the state from the claws of the immediate past Governor Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa to enable our amiable Governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration to be independent and deliver on his electoral mandate and promises to Deltans through his M.O.R.E Agenda,” he said.

He further said, “It is unfortunate to state that based on available records, our dynamic Governor Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori met an empty treasury and some of the Delta State Accounts have less than a billion naira which has forced the state government to borrow a huge sum of money in less than one month in office under the guise of settling local government pensioners in the state.”

Meantime, the court has adjoined till 24th October 2023 for the continuation of a further hearing.