Owan, Akoko-Edo communities bemoan 35 years of alleged political marginalisation

The People of Owan and Akoko-Edo Local Government Areas of Edo have bemoaned alleged 35 years of political and infrastructure marginalisation of the area.

Stakeholders from the community, at a meeting on Tuesday in Benin under the aegis of Akoko-Edo and Owan Alliance, said the two councils had suffered perpetual neglect in the hands of the political actors in the state.

In a statement by the convener of the alliance, Mr Sunny Ifijen, the stakeholders’ forum said the alliance believed that giving the two local government areas sense of belonging was never a privilege, but a right.

The group challenged the Edo Government and other relevant authorities to show better committment to Akoko-Edo and Owan federal constituency.

The alliance noted that aside lack of government presence in the two council areas, they had also not enjoyed political relevance in terms of political appointments and elective positions, both at the state and federal levels.

“It is sad to note that in 25 years, we only had eight years in Senate (Yisa Braimoh and Domingo Obende), while Etsako dominated the remaining years.

“No governor, no minister, no ambassador, no state party chairman of major political parties, no established tertiary institutions.

“For years, the Sasaro-Igarra-Ibillo road had been in bad shape and both state and federal governments are doing nothing about it,” the stakeholders resolved at the alliance meeting.

He said both sons and daughters of the councils, home and abroad, expressed displeasure over the multi-faceted marginalisation in the past 35 years.

The meeting appealed, however, to the federal and state governments, religious and traditional leaders and other relevant stakeholders, to as a matter of urgency, accede to a special concession for the plight the Akoko-Edo and Owan people.

They clarified that the alliance was dominated by non-partisan stakeholders of Owan and Akoko-Edo extraction.

The forum concluded with a call for the continual support of stakeholders such as Mr D. Dania and Ayo Olowojoba.