In Ughelli, eight individuals narrowly avoided a tragedy when students from Oteri Secondary School and pupils from Active Primary School were prohibited from entering their classrooms. This action was taken due to the fire incident that destroyed a building, which housed a member of the electoral committee for the Oteri-Ughelli community youth election in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was gathered that the term of the current youth executive in the community had come to an end, leading to the establishment of an electoral committee tasked with overseeing the selection of new members.
According to reports, “Eight persons escaped from being burnt to death as hoodlums set a two-bedroom apartment belonging to one Mr. Agani ablaze over Oteri community youth election.”
At night, the unknown assailants broke into Agani’s residence, entering through one of the windows, and proceeded to set the house ablaze while his eight daughters were asleep.
Their mother and first responders had to work together to forcibly enter the house and rescue them from the raging fire. In the meantime, a source from the community informed our correspondent that there had been an ongoing dispute regarding the yet-to-be-held election, as the members of the electoral committee were unable to facilitate a peaceful resolution among the candidates.
According to reports, after conducting thorough screenings of all candidates, the members of the electoral committee were unable to reach a unanimous decision on the favored candidate. This deadlock within the committee escalated tensions, ultimately resulting in the arson of a house and significant property damage.
The source said: “They keep postponing the elections to the dismay of all parties involved.”
An anonymous member of the Oteri community executive said the youth election is split between two major factions, each backed by a prominent personality.
“What is playing out now is between the cabals that are involved, they have different opinions on who becomes the next youth chairman in the community,” he said.