Elempe Dele Reporting
The article mentioned above credited to our respected Hon. Henry Tenebe, which to me is a hurriedly put one without fact, in response to our own Distinguished Senator Yisa Briamoh, would have left unattended, but for the fact that we owe the people continuous explanation , has propelled me to respond in the most lacerating and mannered way I can.
The core essence of the article is dismissal, not denial. In other words, what is dismissed might not necessarily be untrue, but for existential political interest, truth might be dismissed to give a feeling of untrue, as alleged. It’s like windows and doors closed giving feelings of absence.
Hon. Tenebe, just like Senator Yisa Briamoh, knows the truth about the issue of marginalization was a bit economical with the truth unfortunately for political exigencies, which should not have been necessary. The sacrosanctity of truth should not be sacrificed on the alter of politics.
One very important aspect that must be noted in the said dismissive article is that Hon. Tenebe actually didn’t dispell the claims of Senator Yisa Briamoh with superior arguments based on facts even when the facts stare us in the face without blinking.
The facts of marginalisation as presented by Senator Yisa Briamoh are clear without being ambiguous, refuted or controverted by Hon. Tenebe.
For about 35 years, and still counting, the Etsako in Edo North Senatorial District have dominated except for eight (8) years combined when Owan and Akoko-Edo had shots; 4 years each. This cannot be what Hon. Tenebe called ‘fair and equitable…’
Secondly, virtually all available and strategic political positions which include, government executive and party executive positions in Edo North Senatorial District as of today , are all occupied by Etsako indigenes.
The thrust of our cry of marginalisation and the justification of our lamentation with facts and figures are geared towards Edo North SENATE 2023 which should rotate to either Owan or Akoko-Edo after being with the Etsako clan for the past eight years under APC. This will engender equity and fairness. All past/present senators from Etsako clan are;
(1)Francis Alimikhena,
(2)Victor Oyofo,
(3)Albert Legogie…………
(4)Franca Afegbua….
(5)John Umolu
(6)Ekpemoriri Lamai
Akoko-Edo and Owan;
(1)Owan – Yisa Braimoh
(2) Akoko-Edo – Domingo O.
Govt /Party Executive Positions;
(1)Dep Governor,
(2)Leader of PDP Edo North,
(3)Nat Vice Chair South South,
(4)Member BOT PDP,
(5)Dep National Women Leader,
(6)PDP STate Secretary
(7)Chairman, EDHA Service Commission and
(8)Chairman, Local Govt Service Commission. All the above stated positions are all Etsakos as against Edo North Senatorial Chairman……. Akoko-Edo and Dep Chief of Staff from Owan.
If the above statistics do not portray marginalisation, what else would?
It must be noted that Senator Yisa Briamoh has not called for divisiveness, rather, he has reminded us that both the Owan and Akoko-Edo people must be factored into the political identification of Edo North Senatorial District in a manner that will suggest equity, fairness and justice. The people from Owan and Akoko-Edo are also voters that make up the district hence their justifiable demand should not be dismissed by any single individual, rather, be subject to rigorous articulate thought-processes for conceited effort to amend the errors; both intentional and unintentional, of the past without offence being given.
I therefore wish Hon. Tenebe to allow for dissenting voices on this very political observation as to embolden cohesive resolution rather than unnessary dismissal capable of gagging freedom of expression on a matter that needs deep political retrospection