Frozen IRDC Fund: I'm no longer Chairman, Emami replies Rita Lori

The Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri A.K.A Akulagba has distanced himself from reports of a Delta State High Court freezing the account of Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC, saying his leadership of the Chevron established development agency terminated since June 2015.     

Chief Emami made the clarification in response to an Order of Interim Injunction granted by Justice M. Obi of a Delta State High Court sitting in Warri, wherein six accounts of IRDC at Keystone Bank Plc, totaling N2.2 billion was frozen.

The Warri based businessman and Niger Delta activist who was joined in the suit as one of the defendants by the claimant, Chief Rita Lori Ogbebor, stated in a telephone chat that the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli a few days ago gave his blessing to the new Austin Oniyesan led executive after the issues that stalled his handover in 2015 following suspension of IRDC activities was resolved.

While stressing that he 's at a loss as to why Chief Rita Lori -Ogbebor has openly exhibited so much obsession against his person, Chief Emami admonished Chief Ogbebor and her cohorts to stop using his name to get cheap publicity .

He declared that if Chief Lori Ogbebor refuses to stop maligning his hard earned reputation, he might be compelled to sue her for defamation of character, stressing that there are external issues affecting the development of Itsekiri Nation that should bother genuine Iwere sons and daughters, instead of deliberately pulling their own down.

The court in its ruling barred Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL from releasing funds to the IRDC pending the determination of the suit after hearing Olukunle Edun and Sir Peter Aihiokha, both counsel to Chief Rita Lori Ogbebor and four other claimants.

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