By Ejiro Nesisa
A journalist based in Sapele, Delta State, Mrs. Stephanie Ikanone Odiete, has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged threats, intimidation, and harassment involving Hon. Ovo Abeke, the APC Ward 7 Chairman in Sapele Local Government Area. In the petition submitted to the DSS, Mrs. Odiete, a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), alleged that she has faced repeated intimidation and threats over the years.
According to the petition, one of the incidents reportedly occurred on April 6, 2023, at the Sapele Local Government Council Secretariat, where she alleged that Hon. Ovo Abeke and another individual confronted her during the course of her journalistic duties. She claimed that the situation resulted in her being intimidated and delayed within the council premises for several hours before she later regained her freedom. Mrs. Odiete further stated that following the incident, her lawyer, Barr. P. M. Obiagba, submitted a petition to the DSS office in Sapele on April 10, 2023. The journalist also referenced a more recent incident during the APC Senatorial Primary Election involving Senator Ede Dafinone and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
She said she attended the event strictly in her professional capacity as a reporter when a disagreement allegedly arose over a WhatsApp group linked to APC Ward 7. According to her account, Hon. Ovo Abeke accused her of creating the group, an allegation she denied, explaining that she was only added as a participant after the platform had already been created. She further alleged that threats were made during the confrontation.
Mrs. Odiete also claimed that a physically challenged man, identified as Mr. Jude Ebosele, popularly known as “Diplomat,” intervened in an attempt to calm the situation. In her petition, the journalist expressed concerns for her safety and called on the DSS to investigate the allegations and take necessary steps to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
She also appealed for protection and urged security agencies to invite all parties connected to the matter for questioning. The allegations have reportedly generated reactions among some residents and media practitioners in Sapele, with calls for a peaceful and transparent resolution of the matter. As of the time of filing this report, Hon. Ovo Abeke had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the petition.
When contacted, the Chairman of APC Ward 7 in Sapele Local Government Area, Hon. Ovo Abeke, denied allegations levelled against him by a journalist, Mrs. Stephanie Ikanone, describing the claims as false and politically motivated. Speaking during a telephone interview with Bailout Magazine, Abeke alleged that the controversy stemmed from the creation of a parallel APC Ward 7 WhatsApp platform allegedly opened by Mrs. Ikanone and some others without his consent as ward Chairman.
According to him, the platform was formerly a PDP group which was later renamed as an APC platform. He explained that members of the ward had earlier agreed to officially create an APC Ward 7 platform, only to later discover another parallel group allegedly linked to Mrs. Ikanone and others.
Abeke alleged that this was not the first time such an incident had occurred, claiming that Mrs. Ikanone had previously apologised and promised not to repeat the action. His words:” The first time she did it, she apologised and promised not to repeat it, but she later repeated the same thing again.” The former two-time councilor stated that because the journalist is a married woman, he deliberately avoided any direct confrontation with her to prevent what he described as possible “misrepresentation or false accusations.” He said, he instead reported the matter to her elder brother, who later, in turn, reported it to another family member also in the council.
According to Abeke, the brothers initially doubted the allegation until they allegedly confirmed that Mrs. Ikanone was one of the administrators of the platform. He further alleged that when her elder brother instructed her to either collapse the platform or change its name, she allegedly insulted him.
According to him, he also drew the attention of the Council Chairman to the matter who promised to talk to her adding, the Chairman has not done anything as regards the matter as it lingers on. Abeke said, he later confronted the journalist at the council secretariat over her alleged disrespect toward her elder brother but insisted that he neither assaulted nor insulted her during the encounter.
His words: “One day, I met her at the secretariat and told her that whatever she was doing to her senior, her junior would also do to her someday. She started raining abuses on me, but I did not touch or insult her.” The APC ward Chairman further disclosed that he reported the matter to Mrs. Ikanone’s employer, identified as Nikoro, who allegedly appealed to him to let the issue rest.
According to him, he decided to move on, until, to his surprise, he was invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) following a petition reportedly written against him by the journalist. Abeke said, he could not immediately honour the DSS invitation because he was occupied with primary election activities in the council. He, however, expressed surprise that Mrs. Ikanone allegedly went public with the matter before the DSS concluded its investigation.
His words: “l was surprised to see publications against me while the DSS matter was still pending.” The APC Chieftain disclosed that he later visited the DSS office but was informed to return on Monday by 12 noon. He added that, he has instructed his lawyer to begin legal proceedings over the matter. I have already told my lawyer to prepare the necessary documents because I intend to take the matter to court,” Abeke concluded.