All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Isoko, Delta State, have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the marginalisation of the ethnic nationality.
According to them, Isoko, the second place oil was discovered in the Niger Delta after Oluibiri, has not had any federal presence or any of their sons or daughters appointed as minister or into any federal executive position since 1999.
They said the only thing representing federal presence in Isoko is a police station and street lights by the NDDC.
In contrast, the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups have had ministers and others appointed to executive positions and enjoy other essential infrastructure.
The leaders are urging President Tinubu to appoint an Isoko person as the Managing Director of the newly created South-South Development Commission (SSDC) for the sake of equity and fairness.
They stressed that their peaceful agitation for inclusion at the national level, if continuously neglected, could give rise to violent agitation, which they have been working to avoid.
They made the call on behalf of the Isoko ethnic nationality at a briefing in Lagos.
Delta State APC Secretary, Chief Peter Akarogbe, said it will become difficult to sell the party to voters and convince people to work for it if the injustice persists.
He believes there is no better opportunity to address the neglect than to appoint an Isoko person as the SSDC MD.
He said many eminently qualified sons and daughters of Isoko can head the new commission.
Akarogbe said: “Our people have been marginalised for too long. In Delta South, there are three ethnic nationalities: Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri.
“Only Isoko has not gotten anything – either appointment or federal government presence. And it’s making it difficult for us to sell the party to our people.
“We believe it is an oversight by the President, so we want to draw his attention to these anomalies.
“The SSDC has been created. The chairman has been appointed from Cross River State. The headquarters is also in Akwa Ibom State. The board has not been constituted.
“We are calling on the President and all those in authority to look in the direction of the Isokos – for a son or daughter of Isoko to be appointed as the Managing Director of that commission for the sake of equity and fairness.
“We’re major stakeholders. Isoko is the largest onshore oil producer in Nigeria, producing close to 400 barrels per day onshore. So why should we not be considered for a federal appointment?
“We’re drawing the President’s attention to the oversight and pleading with him to appoint our own as the MD of the SSDC.”
Delta South APC Youth Leader Hyacinth Ewariezi described it as “painful and disheartening” that Isoko has not had a Federal appointment since 1999.
“I feel the SSDC was created for the Isoko to be accommodated because we have been blacked out despite our significant contribution to the economy.
“Party-wise, we have contributed our quota. So, the President should remember us by appointing an Isoko son as the MD. That is the agreement of the Isokos.
“When this is done, Isoko will surely reciprocate by voting him en masse in 2027.”
State APC Welfare Secretary, Mrs Hoplyn Akpotu-Ayu, stressed that the Isoko ethnic nationality cannot continue to be neglected.
She said: “Considering our contribution to the economy, this marginalisation saddens us, so we want the Federal Government to remember us this time.
“The entire Isokos agreed that we should be given this appointment, and we plead that nothing should sabotage that unanimous plea, especially given our enormous contribution to the economy.
“That way, we will be able to convince our people to vote APC in 2027.”
According to Mrs. Akpotu-Ayu, if an Isoko person is appointed MD of SSDC, he will be in the best position to attract the much-needed infrastructure and projects that have been lacking.
“It will also give our people hope that, having appointed their son to that position, other appointments will follow.
“In the Senatorial district, the President had the highest number of votes from the Isoko nationality.
“So, there is no justification for continuously neglecting us just because we have no person at the top speaking for us.
“The President needs to know that such a level of marginalisation is being carried out against a populous ethnic nationality with great voting strength.
“The best way the President can correct it is to give this MD-ship to an Isoko son.
“Ijaws and Isekiri have produced many ministers and senior special advisers, chairmen of commissions and federal commissioners. Isoko has never gotten one. It’s like man’s inhumanity to man. It’s not fair.
“So we urge the President to address the issue to avoid violent agitation because when peaceful agitation is resisted, it could give rise to violent agitation.
“Isoko leaders are already suppressing the youths from taking arms. There should be a reward for being peaceful.
“When there was no offshore oil production, it was the Isokos and a part of the Urhobo that were sustaining the country, but today, the nationality is being neglected. The reward for their making peace should not be neglect.”
APC Isoko South Chairman, Vincent Egbogbo, said other ethnic groups have enjoyed a lot of political patronage from the Federal Government over the years.
“So, we’re appealing to the President to please wipe our tears by appointing our son as the SSDC MD. That is the only way the Isoko can be carried along.
“In fact, the gods of our land will go after anyone who obstructs this request from coming to fruition,” he said.
The leaders said many representations have been made to the Federal Government over the years, with letters also sent to President Tinubu, but none have yielded a positive outcome so far.
They are hopeful that the President will listen to their appeals this time.
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