The controversy surrounding the recently held stakeholders’ meeting of Niger Delta Coastal States and Niger Delta Monarchs’ meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu held at the instance of Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, appears to be heightening as the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli has distanced the Olu Palace from the purported representation of Itsekiri people by Prof. Lucky Akaruese.
In a statement signed by the Palace Administrator, Chief (Dr.) E.A. Tetsola on behalf of the Olu of Warri, the Warri Monarch frowned at the “claim at page 13 of The Vanguard of September 1, 2016, in which Prof. Lucky Akaruese is mentioned as one of the persons representing the Itsekiri ethnic Nationality at those meetings,” stressing, “The Palace denounces it”.
Prof. Lucky Akaruese
The statement dated September 1 and sent to Fresh Angle International quipped, “The Palace wish to state categorically that while individuals are entitled to freedom of speech and association as guaranteed by the Nigeria Constitution, it has not authorized or mandated any person to represent either the Olu of Warri or Itsekiri people at these meetings”.
The Warri Monarch stressed that persons who attended the meetings “cannot arrogate to themselves the authority to speak or represent either the Olu of Warri or the Itsekiri people”.
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