The Edo State House of Assembly last Monday bowed to
pressures from the state All Progressives Congress (APC) to
return the Speakership of the House to Edo Central senatorial
district of the state to balance the political tripod in the state.
Mrs Elizabeth Ativie, who is from Edo South district, stepped
down peacefully for her Deputy, Justin Okonoboh from Edo
Central to emerge as Speaker.
Ativie now emerged as Deputy Speaker, a move which was
described as a rare sacrifice made by the first woman Speaker
of the state Assembly, so as to give her party the leeway to
campaign in Edo Central, an area dominated by top Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) leaders such as the former chairman
Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih.
It will be recalled that APC leaders in the zone became more
worried about the fortune of the party in the area ahead the
September 10 governorship election particularly after they lost
the deputy governorship slot to Edo North district. Political
tension in the area heightened when the PDP used the
situation against the ruling APC, as Chief Anenih, during a
rally of the governorship candidate of the party, Pastor Osagie
Ize-Iyamu in the area, accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole
of neglecting the Esan people in his administration.
Anenih therefore urged the people of the area to punish the
APC in the forthcoming governorship election. Edo Central has
been the domain of PDP until Oshiomhole’s APC broke the
jinx in the area in 2012 governorship election, which was
Oshiomhole’s second term election.
He won elections in the entire 18 Local Government Areas of
the state including Uromi, Anenih’s domain. Since then, the
APC has been winning some House of Assembly seats in the
area and controls the five Local Government Areas in the
Central. However, sensing the fact that the people of the area
were not happy that they lost the deputy governorship ticket
under the APC and alleged marginalization, Anenih moved to
exploit the situation for his party the PDP. But somehow, the
strategy seems to have been punctured by the move which
returned the Speakership to Edo Central.
But he intensified his battle to retain Edo Central to his PDP
when the Onojie of Uromi, a close ally of Chief Anenih
organized some traditional rulers from the area to endorse
Ize-Iyamu. That move was greeted with criticism, when the
Onojie of Opoji and Vice Chairman, Edo State Council of
Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, His Royal Highness (HRH),
Ehidiamen Aidonojie 1, who was at that meeting described the
purported endorsement of Ize-Iyamu as hoax. He explained
that they were only at the palace to listen to what the PDP
candidate has for Esan people and there was nothing like an
endorsement.
He said ”we were invited to come and listen to what the PDP
said they have for us and not endorsement. Besides, I stated
at that occasion that Esan people are like the Jews
surrounded by Arabs. I told the PDP people that it is action
that speaks, that how are we sure that what they are
preaching now is better than what APC has done for us. The
problem Esan people are having today was caused by Anenih
because he never empowered Esan people. And it is not true
that PDP empowered Esan people. It is only Uromi. So there
was nothing like any endorsement. How can we endorse a
party that ruled us for ten years without doing anything
meaningful for Esan people even when Anenih was in charge?
May be two traditional rulers, the one from Uromi and Ujogba
endorsed him but not all of us.
They are on their own. They did not carry traditional rulers
along in doing that. Before you endorse any body you should
compare the two parties but PDP never did anything so how
can we endorse him. If there is anything like that I should be
the one to say it because I am the spokesman of Esan
traditional rulers. Oshiomhole has built roads and red roof
schools in our area even though we lost out in the deputy
governorship position but that does not mean that APC has
not done anything for Esan people.
We thank God that the APC has even returned the Speakership
to Edo Central and we are optimistic he will do more for us.
So I want to state clearly that Esan traditional rulers did not
endorse Ize-Iyamu, rather they will endorse Godwin Obaseki of
APC because it is under the APC government that some of us
started having the sense of belonging in this state”. The
tension heightened last Monday between the duo as the royal
father raised an alarm that he was being threatened by the
Uromi High Chief.
The Royal father said his lawyers were already preparing a
petition to the Inspector General of Police and the state Police
Commissioner Chris Ezike, on the issue. He said it was
“because I told the world that Esan Royal fathers never
endorsed Ize-Iyamu”. According to him “Chief Anenih called
me with his Glo line shouting at me that “Your Highness I am
disappointed in you”.
I asked him what I have done, he was shouting that what has
Oshiomhole done for me in my life and I told him to stop
insulting me even if he is Anenih, that I am a traditional ruler
for Christ sake. He said that was why he was not happy that
I attended the function at the Onojie of Uromi’s palace. He
went on to say that he thought we had settled our problem.
But I told him that what we agreed was that he should make
an Esan man governor and that he never did it. Rather what
he brought to Esan people now was deputy governor and he
still kept it in Uromi. And this is the same thing we have been
complaining.
All the Ministers have come from his place in Uromi and in
every election he will ask Esan people to vote PDP. I said why
did you not move the deputy governorship to another
community in Esan land and must it be Uromi? He said I
should be careful and that he was warning me. First of all it is
an abomination to insult a Royal father like me, I have briefed
my lawyers and we are petitioning the IG of Police. I have
already informed the state Commissioner of Police and the
DSS. Why must Esan people vote PDP when in Esan we have
been marginalized while Uromi remains the Israel? I don’t
need anything from him but he must not threaten me and I
told him that”.
The Royal father further explained that “my problem with
Anenih is that he actually marginalized our people in Esanland
not Oshiomhole because the truth must be told. Anenih, Arch
Onolememen were all Minister of Works, both of them are from
Uromi, but Esan people have no road apart from the ones built
by Oshiomhole. All the juicy Federal appointments he gives to
his people in Uromi but in every election he will come and ask
Esan people to vote PDP for what?