Delta South: Itsekiri, Isoko Leaders Agreed On Succession

Leaders of Isoko and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities in Delta State have agreed on whose turn is to produce the next senator to represent the people of Delta South Senatorial District.

The leaders met on Wednesday in Isoko Development Union, (IDU), secretariat in Oleh, headquarters of the Isoko South local government area of the state.

The meeting was convened on behest of Olu of Warri who reportedly deployed the Itsekiri delegations on the mission.

The ethnic leaders agreed to strengthened the bond between them, and also maintained an age-long power rotation between Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri as it concerns the Delta South Senate seat.

They agreed that the existing succession pattern was not based on political party consideration, but on the principle of fairness, justice and equity.

The Itsekiri leaders who were led by the Ologbotsere of Warri kingdom, Ayirimi Emami, however pleaded with their Ijaw brothers to cue behind Isokos to support an Itsekiri for the senatorial seat.

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At the end of the meeting, Emami, expressed delight over the disposition of Isoko leaders, saying that they would engage their Ijaw counterparts on the development.

Spokesman for the Itsekiri delegation, Mr. Brown Mene, while enumerating the zoning formula of the Delta South senatorial district seat said, “Since the inception of the second republic, the Delta South senatorial district seat was zoned into the three ethnic nationalities (Ijaws, Itsekiri and Isokos) that made up the seat.

“The rotational agreement for the Delta South Senatorial Seat between the Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri dated back to the second republic, to avoid a situation where the three tribes will fight themselves.

“From records, Ijaws and Isokos have gone there twice while Itsekiri has only gone there once. Now it is the turn of Itsekiri to go and represent us and we are appealing to our brothers from Ijaws and Isoko to support us on this course for equity.”

While stressing that the agreement “was not based on political party”, Mr. Mene went down memory lane to mention occupants of the position, like late Justice Atake, followed by Ijaw National Leader, Edwin Clark, late Francis Okpozo, before Stella Omu represented the district in the current republic between 1999 and 2003, when James Manager took over and remained in the position till date “like a broken record”.

Mr. Mene, asserted that it was the turn of Itsekiri to produce the next Delta South Senator in 2019, assuring that Itsekiri nation is committed to ensuring that the person that will emerge will represent the Ijaw, Isoko and itsekiri interest, just as he noted that the brotherly engagement with the Isoko leaders will be extended to their Ijaw counterparts.

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Speaking, Amadhe blamed political leaders for the failure of politicians to honour the gentleman rotation agreement of the senatorial seat to the ethnic nationalities, saying, it will amount to “practicing political brigandage” against equity and justice for anybody in the senatorial district to seek for 4th or 5th term.

“To correct this abnormalities, the Olu of Warri, key traditional rulers from Isokos and Ijaws and the political elites from Delta South senatorial district should meet and sign a memorandum of understanding for each of the ethnic nationality occupying the seat at least a maximum of two tenure.

“We, Isoko, Ijaw, and Itsekiri must come together and sign agreement of maximum of two terms for each ethnic nationality as it affects Delta South, Amadhe added.