Refutal: Warri North LG Chairman Was Neither Attacked Nor Beaten Up By Anyone - Chairman Media Assistant,

.....He Was Not Involved In Embezzlement, stop misleads the public, 

By egbemavoice@gmail.com,

Contrary to a report published in The Niger Delta Today online platform of November 20, which claimed that the Warri North Local Government Council chairman, Hon. Smart Asekutu was beaten up by some councillors, the Local Government Council has refuted the claim.

In a statement issued by Mr. E. Saya media assistant to the chairman, Hon. Smart it stated that some members of the legislative arm of the Council (Councillors) paid a visit to the Council chairman in his home in Sapele town, sapele local Government Area of Delta state, on Sunday morning to clarify some issues.

It stated that the chairman had a similar meeting with the leadership of the legislative arm the previous day, adding that rather than listening to the report of their leaders, another set of the Councillors came to the chairman on Sunday morning for the same purpose.

The statement clarified that the State government approved the sum of N2 million few months ago to all Councillors in the 25 Local Government Councils for different Constituency projects in their various wards.

Mr chairman further explained that even when the money was yet to be released from Asaba, the chairman used his discretion to disburse same from the Council treasury to the Councillors, pending the release, adding that the Council boss also used his discretion to increase the amount from N2 million to N3 million to enable the Councillors carry out meaningful jobs.

According to him, when the money was eventually released from Asaba, the Councillors came up with the claim that it was their money, but the chairman explained to them that the Council has to use it to replace the money they had earlier been given to them.

"This was what brought the disagreement. But when the leadership of the legislative arm visited the chairman Saturday, they were satisfied with the chairman's explanation and they left only for other Councilors who, perhaps, were not satisfied with their leaders report, to come to the chairman on Sunday.

"The chairman had to also explained to that group. There was no any form of exchange of hard words, let alone a skirmish where the chairman was rough handled as the online newspaper reported", Mr. Saya said.

On the alleged refusal to purchase a refuse disposal truck for the Council, General Silas explained that Warri North Local Government Area was among three Council Areas exempted from purchasing a disposal truck because it is basically a riverine area.

According to him, the other two Council areas are Burutu and Warri South West, adding that the instruction was for them to use the fund to clear water hyacinth from the waterways for ease of navigation by boats.

He also debunked the allegation of the chairman's absenteeism from his office in Koko, explaining that at this critical period of political campaigns, the Council chairmen were expected to be among the party's Campaign train.

"My Council area is basically riverine just like Burutu and Warri South West. So, we were advised that, rather than purchase a truck with the fund, we should deploy it to clear water hycinth from our waterways. And that was what we did.

"The Councillors who are also members of the party are aware that this is campaign period and we all ought to be with the campaign train as our candidates move from ward to ward.

"So, I don't know why they expect the Council chairman to remain in the office while our party is involved in the campaign", he concluded.