Protest March Against Governor Uduaghan By Youth And Civil Society Groups

More than 2,000 youth and community activists took to the streets in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, to protest the corrupt actions of Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Sahara Reporters

Youth and activists from the Delta State Youth for Good Governance (YFGG) the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum, and Anioma youth accused Governor Udughan of embezzling public funds and the illegal acquisition of Asaba community lands in Delta State.

The protesters told a SaharaReporters correspondent at the scene that they demanded that Governor Udughan give a full account of the State treasury before leaving office on May, 29th.

The placards and signs carried by protesters said “Uduaghan is a thief,” “Uduaghan give us back our lands,” and “Uduaghan you must give Deltans account of our treasury.”

The protesters, who besieged the State Assembly complex, barricaded the popular Okpanam Road, disrupting the free flow of traffic. Protesters also said that Governor Uduaghan had sent a Bill to the State House of Assembly which would help cover up many of his fraudulent acts in Delta State.

One protester told SaharaReporters that Governor Udughan borrowed 40 billion naira, with only the approval of the Delta State Speaker of the House, Mr. Peter Onuwusanya, for infrastructure and transportation projects. This protester claimed that these projects has been downgraded, after the money was disbursed, but after wasting “billions of naira on drainage projects” and abandoning Rapid Bus Transit System project to fill the pockets of Governor Uduaghan.

The group also noted that the Asaba to Warri flyovers, which are alleged to have cost the Governor the sum of N7.6 billion was a scam. “The value of the two flyovers are not supposed to be as expensive as that, owing to the length and other things taken into consideration.”

The Delta State Youth for Good Governance also says that the illegal acquisition of Asaba communities lands by Uduaghan and government officials allocated these lands to their girlfriends, wives, concubines, family, friends, and political cronies.

Governor Udughan did not immediately return SaharaReporters’ calls by the time of this publication, he is due to leave office on May 29th.