The socio-economic and cultural organisation of Owan sons and daughters of Edo State, Owan Conscience, has kicked against the purported second-term endorsement of the representative of Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
The displeasure was expressed on Friday in Benin at Owan Conscience’s maiden news conference, which was attended by prominent Owan indigenes from Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas in Edo North senatorial district.
Edo North senatorial district consists of Etsako West, Etsako East, Etsako Central, Akoko-Edo, Owan West, and Owan East LGAs.
The news conference was attended by the organisation’s chairman, Richard Ofen-Imu; Chief Richard Ehimigbai, Mrs. Sabina Idowu-Osehobo, Dr. Victoria Amu, Chief Patrick Agbebaku-Izobo, Princess Yinka Alufohai, Prince Silva Alele, members, and Comrade Mike Igaga, Secretary, among other eminent personalities.
Ofen-Imu, a lawyer, who read the three-page text of the news conference, noted that the organisation consists of Owan indigenes who are desirous of unifying the various clans of Owan East and West LGAs, accelerating growth and development in the area; as well as projecting and defending the interest of the people in every sector of the economy.
Owan’s conscience said, “We read in the media recently that the Edo North Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had endorsed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly, for a second term in the Senate. The purported endorsement was said to have taken place at a meeting of APC leaders in Edo North Senatorial District at the Iyamho home of Comrade Oshiomhole.
“We wish to make it abundantly clear and without any iota of doubt that the Owan Nation completely dissociates itself from the unjust and insensitive endorsement.
“Edo North Senatorial District, otherwise known as Afenmai, is made up of three sub-ethnic groups, namely, Akoko-Edo, Etsako, and Owan. These three groups should, naturally, share the political positions that may be allocated to the area as an entity. Comrade Oshiomhole, like we all know, is of the Etsako sub-ethnic group, a group that has, over the years, dominated the senatorial slot to the glaring disadvantage of Akoko-Edo and Owan.
“The following is an analysis of senators of Edo North since the first republic: Chief E. A. Lamai (1960-1966), Etsako; Senator John Umolu (1979-1983), Etsako; Senator Franca Afegbua (Oct-Dec 1983), Etsako; Senator Albert Legogie (Dec 1992-Nov 1993), Etsako; Senator Victor K. Oyofo (1999-2007), Etsako; Senator Yisa Braimoh (2007-2011), Owan; Senator Domingo Obende (2011-2015), Akoko-Edo; Senator Francis Alimikhena (2015-2023), Etsako; and Senator Adams Oshiomhole (2023-2027), Etsako.
“The analysis clearly shows that while Etsako would have held the Senate slot for about 31 years by 2027, Owan and Akoko-Edo have held the same position for only four years each. This is not only unfair and unjust, but an act of wickedness of brother against brother, and it lacks equity.”
The organisation also reiterated that the current Minister from Edo State, Abubakar Momoh, is from Etsako, the same as the immediate Minister, Prince Clem Agba.
It said: “The immediate ambassador is an Etsako man. The current nominee for the same position of an ambassador is also from Etsako. Just to mention few positions zoned to Edo State/Edo North and being held by indigenes of Etsako.
Rotation of elective political offices among component ethnic or sub-ethnic groups is a major feature of democratic governance in the country.
“The Edo North senatorial slot for 2027 should, expectedly, go to the Owan people who have only occupied the senatorial seat from 2007 to 2011.
We thank the revered elders of Edo North, the Rt. Hon. Col. Tunde Akogun (KSC), Senator Yisa Braimoh, Senator Victor Oyofo, and High Chief Raymond Dokpesi (of blessed memory), who vociferously canvassed a rotation of the senatorial seat to Owan, in order of rotation precedent. This was the mood until the current senator forcibly emerged and truncated the momentum.
“The Owan Conscience is hereby calling on the various political parties, especially the APC, to zone their senatorial slot to Owan, for the sake of equity and fairness.”
The organisation also declared that Owan APC leaders should not, under any guise, give support to the “so-called” second-term endorsement of Oshiomhole, a former Edo Governor and ex-National Chairman of the governing party (APC), which it insisted was founded on injustice and selfishness.
