Rights Activist tasks Legislators, Clerics on sit-tight community leaders

A Community Development Activist cum politician, Barr. Robinson Ariyo has challenged lawmakers and Christian Clerics to initiate legislation and messages that will compel oppressive community leaders to vacate elective positions once their tenure is over.               

Barr. Ariyo who was the All Progressives Congress, APC House of Assembly candidate for Warri South Constituency 1 in the April 11, 2015 Governorship and House of Assembly polls, lambasted the sit-tight community leaders for allegedly concocting “charges against their opponents and report to the Police” in a bid to get their opponents arrested, detained and sometimes “charged to court after ensuring that these opponents spend several months awaiting trial for an offence that is concocted”.

The choice of alleged offences now being kidnapping or similar serious offences for which Magistrate Courts have no jurisdiction. The APC Chieftain's position is coming on the heels of recent warning by the new Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli to his subjects, directing Itsekiri community leaders whose tenure have expired to relinquish the positions to allow genuine peace and development take place in Itsekiri communities.             

Barr. Ariyo while accusing some officers of the Nigerian Police of complicity in the dictatorial attitude of the community leaders, who according to him channel funds meant for community development into building Police connections and instituting unnecessary litigations, opined that these leaders often “harass, intimidate and assault their opponents”, even as he quipped that some of the sit-tight community leaders hold key positions in their places of worship.

He urged Cleric to preach sermons that touch on these social ills and preach less of posterity/ prosperity which have been over stressed over the years.

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