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The Chairman of Ukwuani Local Government Council in Delta State, Barrister Chiamaka Solomon Possible Ajede, has denied claims circulating on social media that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori ordered the arrest, imprisonment or removal of a serving councillor.
Ajede said the councillor, identified in court documents as Chukwuemeka Victor Kenneth, remains an elected councillor but is currently suspended by his colleagues over an alleged breach of the council’s code of conduct.
The clarification followed a trending social-media video alleging that the Delta State Government had imprisoned the councillor and removed him from office.
According to Ajede, the councillor’s detention resulted from a criminal case initiated by the police, rather than an executive order from Governor Oborevwori.
The controversy reportedly began after statements Kenneth allegedly made during a live television broadcast on June 21, 2026.
Ajede said some of the statements included allegations concerning the management of Ukwuani Local Government funds, alleged payments to members of the council chairman’s family and claims involving former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police, which investigated and charged Kenneth before the Federal High Court in Asaba.
According to the charge sheet cited by Vanguard, the Inspector-General of Police is the complainant, while Kenneth is the defendant. Prosecutors allege that statements made during the broadcast were intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, particularly within Ukwuani Local Government Council.
The charge reportedly invokes Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024. These remain allegations before the court, and Kenneth is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
Ajede said the councillor pleaded not guilty and applied for bail. According to his account, the court requested that the video containing the alleged statements be played before deciding the bail application, resulting in an adjournment and Kenneth remaining in custody pending the court’s decision.
The council chairman strongly rejected suggestions that Governor Oborevwori personally ordered the detention.
“Sheriff did not imprison him,” Ajede said. He also rejected reports that Kenneth had been removed as councillor, stressing: “He is still a sitting councillor.”
The distinction is important: suspension by fellow councillors, criminal prosecution by the police and removal from elected office by a governor are three different actions with different legal implications.
The case nevertheless raises wider questions about the intersection of political speech, allegations against public officials, cybercrime legislation and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
As the proceedings continue, the decisive questions will ultimately be determined by the court: Were the councillor’s statements criminal under Nigerian law, and was his detention handled strictly through due process — or does the case raise legitimate concerns about the use of criminal law against political criticism?
