Politics

Former Senator Decries Marginalisation In Edo North Senatorial District, Advocates Power Shift

Published

3 years ago

August 12, 2021

Yisa Braimoh, former Senator, representing Edo North Senatorial District, Thursday, decried the continued marginalisation within the senatorial district, just as he called for a power shift from Estako to Akoko-Edo or Owan, all in the district, so as to give them a sense of belonging.

Senator Braimoh maintained that such political shift will help in compensating the dissatisfaction of majority of the people of Owan and Akoko-Edo clans over perceived and real marginalisation of the zone.

Braimoh, who expressed resentment while addressing newsmen as part of the anniversary to mark his 79 years birthday at his country home in Ihievbe, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, argued that the Owan/Akoko Edo clans have never had a fair share of principal political office holders in Edo North Senatorial District.

The former Senator, who represented the district in the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007, appealed to the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shuaibu, and the Etsako speaking people in the senatorial district to concede the Senate seat, 2023 and support the Owan or the Akoko-Edo in producing the next senator for the district.

He disclosed that the Owan/Akoko Edo clans have never had a fair share of principal political office holdings in Edo North Senatorial District.

He further expressed displeasure with the reality that a good number of the people of Edo North Senatorial District feel disenchanted with how the zone has been schemed out of the political equation in the state.

The Senator lamented that the Estako people by design, deliberately dominated the district’s senatorial seat for over 25 cumulative years out of the last 35 years and still counting.

He noted that from the late 60’s of Senator Ekpomoriri Lamai to the 70s/80s and beyond period of Senator John Umolu, Senator Franka Afegbua, to Albert Legogie, Senator Victor Oyofo and presently Senator Francis Alimikhena.

“The Edo North district is made up of six local government areas with Etsakos occupying 3 of the local governments, Owan 2, with Akoko-Edo occupying 1.

“The Etsakos have a 44% voters population advantage to the Owans 26% and the Akoko – Edo’s 25% of voters population”, he stated.

According to Senator Braimoh, “The utter and highly dismal performance of Senator Francis Alimikhena, an Etsako chieftain and presently representing Edo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, who recently openly voted against the Electronic Transmission of Election Results in the INEC amendment bill at the floor of the Senate is part of the reasons the Etsakos should opt for a candidate from the Owan axis.

“The Senator Alimikhena disgraceful act makes it more imperative for the Etsakos to concede the Senate seat to the minority people of Owan/Akoko Edo once again.”

He listed some of the positions being denied the Owan/Akoko-Edo people which are being occupied by the Estako people to include the state deputy governor, Edo North, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, PDP National Vice Chairman South-South, PDP BOT Member.

Others are PDP National Deputy Women Leader, PDP State Secretary, Chairmen, Local Government service commission. House of Assembly service commission.

He, however, noted that the unprecedented 12 years loyalty and support of Owan/Akoko Edo Clans to former governor, Adams Oshiomhole and the current state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu need to be reciprocated by conceding 2023 Senate seat once again to them.

“In order to sustain peace, fairness, justice and equity in the polity of Edo North, the Senate Seat should now go to Owan or Akoko Edo people”, he added.

He also used the occasion to appeal to the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, to establish a faculty of the Edo State University Iyamo, in Afuze, Owan East LGA, to make education accessible to the people at the grassroots.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

12 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.