Delta Assembly Official Goes Into Hiding As Security Agencies Hunt For Sponsors Of “End Bad Governance” Protest

By Braxton Ilobah

The last may not have been heard about the 10-day #End Bad Governance protest which officially ended on Saturday 10th August, 2024 in Nigeria as state security agents are now hunting for the organisers and sponsors of the protest.

Atlanticnewsonline security sources hinted that some officials of government in various states of the federation were covertly involved in planning the protest which was intended to destabilize the All Progressive Congress (APC) led federal government.

One of the sources hinted that security investigation so far has revealed that some government officials in non-APC controlled states had clandestinely collaborated with organisers of the protest which took violent dimension in some states of the federation particularly in the North.

According to a source, one of the fingered government officials who collaborated with the yet to be identified organisers is one Mr. Godspower Ikechukwu Ajabor of Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba. His whereabouts is currently unknown as he is alleged to have abandoned his job and went into hiding. However, an unconfirmed source close to his family said he traveled out of Nigeria on a church related programme days before the commencement of the protest.

One of those very close to Ajabor, revealed that he had strong anti-Tinubu tendencies in the days preceding the 2023 presidential election. In his words, “Ajabor never hid his disdain for Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom, he kept accusing of foisting Muhammadu Buhari and the APC destructive agenda on Nigerians.”

As a member of the “Sheriffied” campaign group for Sheriff Oborevwori for governorship and Atiku/Okowa Presidential ticket under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), before the 2023, it was gathered that Godspower Ikechukwu Ajabor did the much he could to ensure that Tinubu did not get appreciable votes in Delta State. He had collaborated with other anti-Tinubu campaigners.

His anti-APC and Tinubu stance was said to be quite visible in the days leading to the presidential election and many APC politicians in the State who took note of his anti-Tinubu posturing, may have found a link in his behaviour in his opposition to Tinubu prior to the 2023 election to activities that contributed to the the recent #End Bad Governance protest, hence he is seriously being suspected as one of the under-cover sponsors.

A source at the Delta State House of Assembly complex told Atlanticnewsonline that Ajabor had not been seen for a few weeks now and could not explain further. The source who later revealed Ajabor’s Asaba residential address (No. 3 Oghara Street, DDPA Estate) to our correspondent, also disclosed that the Assembly official hails from Owa Oyibo in Ika area of Delta State.

Following the disclosure of his address, our correspondent last Thursday went to the Asaba residence but could not get access as the entrance gate was firmly locked. Effort made to locate his family house at Owa Oyibo (Ime Oyibu Quarters) was successful and one of the young boys spoken to, revealed that some policemen and officials of the Department of State Service (DSS) have repeatedly come with warrant of arrest for Ajabor.

The source who refused to disclose his name but simply described himself as a university student added that in one occasion, the security agents took away Ajabor’s female inlaw taking care of his aged mother to undisclosed place. She was however, freed the next day.

Our investigation revealed that members of Ajabor’s extended family residing in Asaba and Owa Oyibo have been living in fears in recent time, as security agents are bent on arresting him anywhere he is found.

A telephone call made to Ajabor’s wife Mrs. Ernestina Onyeka Ajabor by our correspondent was not going through. A female source who claimed to be trading near her former business premises in Asaba said that Mrs. Ajabor may have run out of the country as it was learnt that some “Tinubu security agents are after her husband.”

The source who gave her
name simply as Mrs. Ajokwu also told our correspondent that a top APC politician who owned Mrs. Ajabor’s business premises had some time ago, given her quit notice to pack even though she was not owing any debt. “We suspect it was because of her husband who joined to campaign against Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election. Her husband hates Tinubu too much” she added.

On enquiry at the Delta State Police Command Headquarters, Asaba, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP) Bright Edafe told our correspondent last Friday (16th August) that he had no information about the Assembly official but promised to investigate, particularly as the issue is a serious nature.

It would be recalled that some unidentified persons had called out Nigerian youths for a 10-day peaceful protest against poor governance and mismanagement of the economy.

Days leading to the commencement of the protest, government security agencies had warned the protesters not to turn it into violent protest even as the Inspector General of Police had stated that the protesters were being sponsored by some foreign elements.