By Ogor Emmanuel
ASABA/Nigeria: A Pan Isoko Group, Isoko United Parliament, IUPA, have demand from the Delta State Government, the State House of Assembly and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to ensure that equity is maintained in the selection of the new Leader of the State Assembly.
The group made the call on Friday, April 2, 2021 in Asaba, the Delta State Capital in a Press Conference held at Carlise Hotel.
The group in an Adress read by Mr. Palmer Ogheneyole Nathaniel, on behalf of over 30 signatories to the resolution from the meeting the decision was taken, appreciated the state Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and Leadership of the House, for their supports to the Owhefere family, during and after the burial, stated that the body received the untimely death of the former Majority Leader, Hon Tim Kome Owhefere with shock, describing it as tragic and extremely painful, as he was one of Isoko’s shining voices and representatives in government.
It further stated that from the untimely death of the former Majority Leader, who represented Isoko North Constituency in the State Assembly, the Isoko Nation had lost completely from the affairs of the state, as the area has no person in any of the major position in the state, in what they termed frontline positions, as this was zoned to the area because of the enormous wealth the Isoko area had contributed to the development of the state.
They opined that there had been existing precedence in the Assembly, and this should be retained, as the Principal Officers had for a longtime been zoned to Federal Constituencies, and when a principal officer is removed, or dies another from the same Federal Constituency is elected or appointed into the vacant position, as was in the case of Rt. Hon Francis Megbele to Rt. Hon JFK Omatsone, (Itsekiri), Rt. Hon. Victor Ochie to Rt. Hon Peter Onwusanya, (Aniotcha/Oshimili), Rt. Hon Monday Igbuya to Rt. Hon Chief Sheriff Oborevbori, (Okpe/Sapele), Rt. Hon Friday Osanebi to Rt. Hon Ochor Christopher Ochor, (Ndokwa/Ukwuani).
Flowing from the above IUPA, demanded that the office of the Majority Leader earlier zoned to the Isoko federal Constituency be retained, and the ruling party is at the liberty of selecting from any of the available legislators they so desire, advising that any attempt to give the position to a legislator from another ethnic nationality or Federal Constituency will amount to great injustice to the Isoko people, as the death of the former Majority Leader, Hon Tim Owhefere is already a heavy load for the Isoko nation to carry, as any further loss of the Assembly’s number 3 seat will amount to rubbing salt on an already excruciating injury.
However, the group pointed out that they had, had wide consultation with leaders of thought from the Isoko nation, and they are not in support of any particular honourable member from the Isoko nation, but any of them who is presently from the other Isoko Constituency’s should be selected to occupy the office of the Majority Leader of the House.
The Isoko United Parliament, IUPA, according to the group, is made up of Isoko indigenes from the three Isoko State Constituency, Ndokwa East, and Bayesa State, who resides in Asaba, the Delta State Capital.
