By Kelvin Ohoror
The immediate past President General of the Isoko Development Union, (IDU), High Chief Iduh Amadhe has implored the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to prevail on any House of Representatives aspirant from Isoko North Local Government Area in the coming election to jettison the move in line with an existing understanding of rotation and to protect the unity of the Isoko people.
Speaking to reporters at his home in Oleh, Chief Amadhe noted that the House of Representatives seat belongs to the Isoko people of Isoko North and South Local Government Areas and that at the inception of the current Republic in 1999, Chief Anthony Efekodha, now a royal father from Isoko South was the first House of Representatives member for the Isoko Federal Constituency and he did just one term.
Thereafter, according to Chief Amadhe, “Hon Leo Ogor from Isoko North took over on the insistence that ‘the mother’s breast does not belong to one person or section’. That is how Leo went in and did four tenures at a stretch but in 2019, there was serious uproar in the land that he had not only stayed long enough, but also for the sake of equity, fairness and justice, the House of Representatives seat should revert back to Isoko South.”
Chief Iduh stated further that “after the intervention of the state Governor and some Isoko leaders, it was agreed then that Hon Leo Ogor should do a last tenure despite his health challenges so that in 2023, an Isoko South candidate can take over”.
“This position was then championed by so many Isoko leaders including Chiefs Denis Etaluku, Mike Usige and Hon.Johnson Erijo who was Leo’s Campaign Director General. Again, this resolution according to Chief Iduh was further affirmed at a meeting in Hon Erijo’s house where Leo was captured in a video that has now gone viral stating that ‘the next House of Representatives member will come from Isoko South because what is fair is fair”.
However, Chief Iduh who is now a patron of the IDU posited that “now that it is clearly the turn of Isoko South to produce the HOR member for the Isoko Federal Constituency, it is surprising to Isoko political and cultural leaders including traditional rulers who prayed for Leo Ogor at the Isoko House at that time that he now wants to hand over to one of his aides from the same Isoko North”.
This move, Chief Iduh maintained “will further divide the Isoko nation and promote political and socio-cultural enmity, disharmony and disunity among a people of common heritage. Insisting that as an Isoko cultural leader, it behoves on him to stand with the truth at all times”.
Chief Iduh emphasized that Isoko as an ethnic nationality having just two local government areas with a robust political history should ordinarily not have issues in sharing or rotating what belongs to them.
Chief Iduh noted that even in IDU, the sociocultural umbrella body of the Isoko people, the rotational principles are strictly observed to ensure equity, balance and fair representation both among the Clans and between the two local government areas.
For instance according to chief Iduh, while in office, his first Vice President and Secretary were from Ozoro and Ofagbe respectively in Isoko North. At the end of his tenure, the President General’s position went to Isoko North including the second Vice President General and Assistant Secretary who are from Oyede and Emevor respectively. He then identified political rascality, greed and lack of genuine drive for unity, peaceful coexistence and equity for the current scenario.
He added that “it is quite unfair, dictatorial and very undemocratic for a single individual to unilaterally foist his choice candidate on the Isoko people despite an undertaking, existing understanding and the overall interest of the entire Isoko nation.
While affirming that his stand on the matter is not to push forward any particular candidate, Chief Iduh said all that he stands for is that “it is now the turn of Isoko South and whoever picks the ticket here should go to Abuja mainly to project and protect the interest of the Isoko nation”; adding that he is trusting Governor Okowa “to do the needful on this matter to prevent the looming danger if the ugly trend is not arrested quickly”.
He also charged all political pressure groups across Isoko land and well-meaning Isoko leaders particularly in Isoko North to speak out and prevail on their son not to go ahead with “the brazen affront on the intelligence of the Isoko people in the name of politics “.The Chief then urged the people to recall that even in PDP and APC, the two leading political parties in the country, zoning is well entrenched and respected both in the parties offices as well as all tiers of elections.
