BENIN – A socio-political group, Young Edo Professionals in Politics (YEPP), has faulted the position of former State Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Edo State, Prince Francis Iyasere, that political stakeholders in Edo South Senatorial District should jettison the principle of zoning in selecting the next Senator that would represent the District come 2023.

Prince Iyasere, in response to YEPP’s demand for equity, justice and fairness in line with the principles of zoning and rotation of power in Edo State, had argued, amongst other things, that because ‘Oredo LGA is a melting pot’ of sorts in Edo South, it should be allowed to produce the next Senator for the District, irrespective of the long-standing zoning arrangement, and in direct violation of Section 7 (3) (C) of the PDP Constitution that codifies zoning of the party and elective offices.

In a media parley with select journalists in Benin, spokesperson of the Group, Endurance Eguasa, stated that “We read with profound elation the response of our very revered leader, Prince Francis Iyasere, to our recent demand for equity and justice in the nomination and election of the next Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District.

“We applaud Prince Iyasere’s acknowledgment that the Youths have, indeed, come of age and should have a say in charting the future of the Nigerian State” .

“We also note with some degree of satisfaction that Prince Iyasere conceded that all over the world, the youth demographic is beginning to take control in the political space, even in the most advanced democracies. We further note that Prince Iyasere also acknowledged the validity of our position in respect of zoning and its positive democratic externalities, especially within the context of justifiably deciding on the next Senator that would represent Edo South.’

“In line with our unshakable stance on the principles of justice, fairness, and equity, we note, with some consternation, Prince Iyasere’s attempt to obfuscate issues by contending that Oredo should continue to blatantly dominate other members of the triumvirate structure in Edo South simply because Oredo is ” .. an epicenter (sic), a center of attraction which acts as a political osmosis for other local government areas around it..’.

“We find this assertion rather preposterous and a brazen assault on the collective sensibilities of Edo South peoples, as he essentially insinuated that other constituent Local Government Areas that make up the Tripod in Edo South should be condemned to perpetual slavery as a result of geographical happenstance that conferred a location advantage on Oredo”.

“In his attempt at historical and political revisionism, Prince Francis Iyasere made an intellectually doltish effort to re-write the political history of Edo South, since the advent of the Fourth Republic in1999, by asserting that the Distinguished Senator Ehigie Uzamere, an ebullient son of Omi in Iguoshodin Ward of Ovia North East LGA, who represented Edo South in the Senate between 2007-2015, contested as an Oredo indigene.

It must be stated clearly for the purpose of history that Distinguished Senator Ehigie Uzamere from the old Ovia leg of the Senatorial tripod, represented Edo South brandishing his pedigree and filial roots. Any attempt to drag the Distinguished Senator and his predecessors into a needless identity controversy simply to actualize a parochial agenda is, indeed, tragic and unfortunate” .

“In a rather warped attempt to revise well-settled historical facts, Prince Iyasere asserted, in what appears to be his working to predetermined answers, that if there is going to be any ‘compensation’ Oredo LGA, which has concurrently had the Senate twice (8 years), is more deserving of the Senate for the third time. We stand on historical facts as we state boldly that there is no issue of compensation of any kind. Therefore, we emphatically reiterate our demand for justice, fairness, and equity” Comrade Eguasa added.

Furthermore, the spokesperson stated that “we find Prince Iyasere’s position vacuous, self-serving and diversionary because in all the senatorial districts of Edo State, the zoning issue is very well understood. In Edo central for instance, the Senate oscillates between the Old Agbazilo and Okpebholo Divisions, while in Edo North today, the consensus is that old Etsako Division has served out their turn and that it is either the turn of Owan or Akoko Edo to produce the next Senator”.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms, the attempt by Prince Iyasere and his co-travelers to rewrite history and we consider his intervention on this issue, and his attempt to elevate the old Oredo over other members of the Senatorial triumvirate most insensitive, unfair and unjust.

“In this his attempt to trivialize issues as germane as zoning and equity in a multi plural Senatorial District such as Edo South, under the guise that Oredo is a melting pot, Prince Iyasere has betrayed profound vested interests in the Senatorial District” .

“Unequivocally, we hereby restate our earlier demand for justice, fairness and equity in the zoning of the Senate out of Oredo division which, by 2023/2024, would have enjoyed 8 years in the Senate, 16 years as Governor and 24 years in non-rotational, permanent House of Representatives seat at the National Assembly.”