The leadership and people of Uzere Community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State have expressed deep dissatisfaction over what they described as their exclusion from constituency projects attracted by the member representing the Isoko Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Pastor Jonathan Ukodhiko.
In a statement jointly signed by the President General, Chief Imoni Edward Onyagbodor, and the Secretary General, Samuel Oluku, the Uzere leadership said the community was reacting to a recent publication titled “Ukodhiko Performance Record Underscores Robust Lawmaking, Far Reaching Constituency Impact in Isoko.” The report was authored by Dr. Nelson Egware, Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Media.
According to the statement, “the attention of the Uzere people has been drawn to the said publication, where various wide ranging legislative, developmental and social interventions between 2023 and 2025 were listed.” The community noted that several towns and villages across Isoko South and Isoko North were mentioned as beneficiaries of the projects attracted by Pastor Ukodhiko.
“However, while we do not begrudge those benefiting communities as outlined, we are shocked that Uzere, a foremost oil and gas producing community, was conspicuously excluded in the distribution and location of the largesse by the House of Representatives member,” the statement reads. 
The Uzere people further stated that “the reason for the exclusion remains unclear, but on inquiry, we were told that Pastor Ukodhiko had attracted 45 street lights to Uzere as the constituency project.” They described the claim as unacceptable, asking rhetorically, “What a great slap and disservice.”
Read also:
- Ozoro Youth Assembly stages peaceful protest over power blackout
- Isoko South LG boss extols oil magnate Wayles on 60th birthday
- The Trumpet partners NGO for leaders, media interactive forum May 19
The leadership stressed that the situation was particularly painful given recent political history in the area. “Let it be known that the Uzere people are more pained because records are still fresh that during the 2023 elections, Uzere overwhelmingly voted for the PDP, the ruling party at the time, where Ukodhiko was the flag bearer,” the statement added.
The community concluded with an appeal to elected leaders, saying, “It is our hope that before the next round of elections, Pastor Ukodhiko and indeed all other elected and appointed representatives, from the State House of Assembly to the Senate, should ensure that Uzere people always get their fair share of the dividends of democracy without discrimination.”
Efforts to get Pastor Ukodhiko’s reaction to the claims were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. However, a close political associate of the lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said “the man could have done certain things for the Uzere people that might not have been captured.” He added that he was aware that “Ukodhiko sent some bags of rice to the community last Christmas.”
