Comr. Tsaye Mene Breaks Silence on Targeted Allegations and Unlawful Suspension by Comr okotie Joseph, UIY President

Good morning members of the 4th Estate of the Realm, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, May I warmly welcome you all to this very critical press briefing by my humble self 1st Vice President of Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths (UIY).

Before I proceed, permit me to read out the duties of the 1st Vice President of Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths as enshrined in the Charter or if you will the Constitution of the UIY.

The reason for this press interface is clearly to attend to the cocktail of lies that have been served the general public about my person since the inauguration of the youth body a few months ago.

I am encouraged to do this press briefing by the admonition of Karl Marx who one said; “to leave an error unrefuted is to encourage intellectual immorality”.

I have been persuaded by many senior citizens of our land to ignore the unending defamation of my character vide lies being confidently sold and bought daily about me also others need me to say my Truth.

My challenge is that experience has shown that when lies are allowed to be traded for sufficiently long period of time, it assumes the character of the truth.

Moreso that I have modestly managed to build some level of confidence resulting in some well-meaning Deltans and Itsekiris who have developed faith and belief in me.

I have continued to receive calls endlessly for me to tell my own side of the story from many of these people who know my character and need the world to know my truth.

It was Woodrow Wilson who said; “If you lose your wealth, you have lost nothing; if you lose your health, you have lost something; but if you lose your character, you have lost everything.”

The blackmailers began with accusing me of supporting the runner up in the Presidential election that produced the current President of the UIY an accusation that is completely without any substance. Be that at it may, that would not have been sufficiently disturbing if they stopped there.

The latest and most disturbing is that they again lied against me that yesterday I am now in Itsekiri National Council (INYC) and have left UIY and that I have been having series of meetings with INYC prior to now. That I had a meeting yesterday in my uncle Hon Michael diden Ejele residence alongside Gentle Amola and two others, where we had planned to fight His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR Ogiame, the Olu of Warri. Again, lies from the pit of hell! The allegation is not true as I have not visited with Ejele who happened to be my uncle for years not even for consultation during the UIY elections. That doesn’t mean that I have anything against him.

Ordinary I would have ignored the lies like I normally do against the backdrop of my knowledge of the architect of these lies, knowing fully well that my President has been fighting me and frustrating me from carrying out my constitutional duties believing that I didn’t work for him during election and the lies that am conniving with Gbubemi Awala the aforesaid runner-up in the Presidential election to fight him.

Between the first lie and the latest was the lie that I embezzled 2 Millon Naira. Despite the fact that His Majesty had deliberated on this issue and confidently exonerated me in the presence of the President of the UIY and some senior chiefs with the expectation that this nonsense would have stopped, the President in his determination to frustrate me for perceived ideological differences continued to encourage his attack dogs to perpetuate the lies across the social media.

I lodged a complaint with the Palace against this trend and I would have come to the press before now but for Chief Olley who insisted that they would be the ones to clear my name as they gave instructions that the money be expended the way it was expended for use in the transition committee. Everything spent were based on instructions by Chief Omolubi and Chief Olley after due consultation with the other executives. This action item has been unduly delayed and delay they say defeats justice.

This Press briefing would be incomplete if I do not refer to a letter dated 25th of November 2025 purportedly suspending me from office, with signatures of the President Joseph Okotie and Secretary Edward Oritselomisan Jakpah.

Under normal circumstances, I would not have elected to engage them on this, but given that the purported letter is in the public domain, I wish to respond as follows:

That the President and Secretary do not have the powers under the Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths Charter to suspend a duly elected executive member. The Procedure for discipline of any erring member or executive member is captured in ARTICLE 26 which provides for a DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE:

i. This committee shall have a minimum membership strength of 7.

ii. The Legal Adviser of the Organization shall be an automatic member of this committee.

iii. Shall have the power to carry out investigation(s) into any misbehavior, misconduct, fraudulent act of any executive member or any member of the council referred to it by the Congress but this role shall not supersede that of the Youth Assembly.

iv. Shall ensure that any member or executive member accused of any case is given adequate opportunity to defend the allegation(s) made against him/her.

v. Shall depending on the magnitude of the case referred to it by the house, carry out that duty within the time specified by the Congress.

Non of the charter or constitutional provisions has been followed.

All the allegations as stated in the purported letter, only existed in their imaginations.

Even in the presence of disciplinary provisions, the president and secretary lack the authority to suspend elected executive members without Congress.

Accordingly, in light of the foregoing, the general public is advised to disregard the purported suspension, as I remain the 1st Vice President of Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths.

A careful reading of the said letter would reveal that my accusers are the ones who issued the letter. The rule of natural justice forbids that.

A further reading would reveal that I have already been fund guilty, suspended, requested to return all materials with me and thereafter appear before a disciplinary committee. That is most laughable.

The above is testament to the fact that the UIY under the leadership of the current President does not in any way understand the rule of law.

It is most unfortunate that a body of young educated people whom His Majesty hopes would be groomed as the leaders of tomorrow under constitutional democracy can decide to go against the rule of law.

My ideological difference with the President is solely based on my persistent demand for financial transparency, inclusive deliberation processes and most importantly the financial report since inception. The President appears to think of himself as a Monarch and other Executive members his subjects.

I am in office to ensure that the spirit and letters of the law are respected at all times.

It is also worthy of mention that I did not align with the President unilateral decision to visit Esimaje Awani on the platform of the body which said decision has created more disunity than unity in Itsekiri today.

Let me end by reproducing the words of Late Dele Giwa: “No evil deed will go unpunished) any evil done by man to man must be redressed, if not by man, then by God, if not now, certainly later, for the victory of evil over good is temporary”

William Shakespeare also said, “The evil that men do live after them.

The end shall certainly tell.

Thank you

God bless Warri Kingdom

Comr. Tsaye Edeyibo Mene
1st Vice President Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths
(Employment, Empowerment and Youth Groups Coordinator)