Owan and Akoko-Edo are two Federal Constituencies in Edo state. The two Federal Constituencies has considered alliance as a panacea to their agitations. The unity of the two Federal Constituencies is characterized by the over bearing decades marginalization.
In a world press conference on Sunday, the two Federal Constituencies came together in one accord to voice out their yearnings over decades of marginalization which has bedeviled them for the past 35 years. The leader of the alliance Hon. Omeiza Ogumah Steve in his remarks stated that Edo State is a Multi-Ethnic entity where the combined bloc of Owan & Akoko-Edo people have become Co-Victims of avoidable Marginalization across the State/Federal Civil Service, Political Party Hierarchy, Socio-economic Infrastructures, Traditional Councils, ReligiousCircles, CivilSocieties, Associational Confines, etc.
He said over the years Marginalization has become more over bearing within their own Afemai(Edo-NorthZone) which stands on a Tripod of Akoko-Edo, Etsako and Owan.
According to him, their area is made up of three LGAs of Owan-East, Owan-West & Akoko-Edo, but pathetically, Akoko-Edo remains un-split since Mid-West Region of 1963. By geographic contiguity & Population quota, Section 71b & 72 of 1999 Constitution entitled both Owan & Akoko-Edo to be Federal Constituencies,(each having one House of REPs with a combined Votes of over 200,000.
However, Ogumah stated that the concerns that necessitated the press conference is that for 35 years, they only had 8years in Senate(Yisa Braimoh and Domingo Obende) since1999.
Ogumah enumerated their worries and concerns to include but not limited to the following;
- No Governor, Deputy Governor, Minister, Ambassador
- No Party Chairman or BOT of any Major Political Party.
- Only one Head of Service since 1999.
4.Few State Permanent Secretaries compared to our Intellectual Pool in the Edo Civil Service. - No established higher Institution, e.g School of Mining/Geological Studies, University/College of Sports, Institute of Fisheries/Aquatic Studies, A Campus of Auchi Polythecnic or Ambrose Alli University or Edo University, Iyamoh.
- No Up-graded General Hospital.
- Perennial discontinuation of Repairs at Sasaro-Igarra-Ibillo road by FERMA.
- Inequalities in the management of Solid Mineral Sector in Edo state.
- Hon Ogumah added that, the foregoing worries and concerns have elicited their Unity as a people under the ALLIANCE to begin to discuss, strategize, agitate and negotiate towards better deals, occasioned by the overbearing marginalization. As Progressive Democrats,
Ogumah believes that the ALLIANCE is a two-sided coin that will spur strategic harvest for both Owan & Akoko-Edo people, because Unity is Power.
While alluding to the over bearing marginalization occasioned by continuous denial and appointment of groups of personalities fro the the same Etsako region, he also used the opportunity to cry out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step down the upcoming Inauguration of Abubakar Mommoh as the state Ministerial Nominee. This he said this comes on the heels of the persistent injustice to side line the Owan and Akoko-Edo people. He emphasized that it is never a personal grudge against the person of Engr. Mommoh but a moral issue that must be put into consideration, hence there are also people from this two Federal Constituencies that are qualified to be given a chance to play a part in governance.
In this Unity of Purpose, Hon. Ogumah seized the opportunity to urge all sons & daughters of the two Federal Constituencies to come together, speak-up in unison across all fora & strata, so that the Federal Government, Edo state Government, the Media, Religious Leaders,Traditional Rulers & other critical stakeholders can help the plight of well over one million Owan & Akoko-Edo (population Nationwide).
Also speaking at the press conference is comrade Sunny Ifeji who in consonance with Hon. Ogumah stressed that there facts and evidences in all that Hon Ogumah has said, where all political leaders so appointed or elected in the state irrespective of political affiliation comes from the same Etsako axis and none from their Federal Constituencies. Comrade Sunny while expressing his dismay over the so called anomaly, recalled that there are already prominent sons and daughters of of Owan and Akoko-Edo who have worked for the success of All Progressives Party (APC) in the state and at national level, yet they were not considered for political appointments. He added that, to the best of his knowledge, the people of both Federal Constituencies so neglected have given their best to the success of APC and deserve consideration during appointments. He emphasized the need for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to play to the gallery of equity, justice and fairness for the sake unity.
