Edo: Ize-Iyamu Gives New Construction On Zoning, Defends His Bid

Edo State All Progressives Congress, APC governorship aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has opened new angles to the agitation of zoning ahead of the primary election of the party next month.

Speaking in an interview, Ize-Iyamu affirmed that while the governorship of the state has been moved around the three senatorial districts, he, however, noted that the rotation has left many subdivisions within the districts at the receiving end.

He particularly observed that his Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State despite being the largest in the state and with the country’s highest gas deposit has never produced a governor, senator, or minister and lacks basic infrastructure.

He similarly said that the Owan area of Edo North has also not bitten from the governorship pie despite having two local governments.

He said:

“I believe that any person from any part of the state has the right to be governor. But let me tell you the facts. There is no senatorial (zone) that has not produced governor one time or the other. You may be saying that you have not had it long enough, but we cannot compare our place to a place like Benue where a section has for the past 47 years has dominated who is governor.

“In Edo, Edo South people have been governor, Edo North people have been governor, Edo Central people have been governor.

“I can also tell you that in all of these, let’s not generalize by talking about senatorial districts. When you break it down, you will find out that there are certain people who have never had the opportunity to be governor. For example, the Owan people, they are part of Edo State with two local governments but because they are submerged in Edo North, you may say Edo North has had governor, but Oshiomhole that was governor is from Etsako with three local governments.

“Two local governments belong to the Owan, brilliant people, very hardworking but they have never had governor. Akoko Edo is also there, one of the oldest local governments in the country that was never split, they have never had governor.

Continuing further on his new perspectives on zoning, Ize-Iyamu said:

“In Edo South where I come from we have seven local governments. When people say that Edo South has had governor they just forget that we have seven local governments and Oredo where Obaseki comes from and where Lucky Igbinedion comes from and there was where Ogbemudia was from most of the time, but I come from Orhionmwon. Orhionmwon is the rural area of Edo South, we have never had a governor, we have never had a minister, we have never had a senator, we have never had a speaker, we have never had the chairman of the party, we have no light, no water, no hospital, no institution of higher learning, and yet, Orhionmwon has the largest land mass in the state, has the highest gas deposit in the entire country.

“The Esan area with due respect has had five ministers back to back, numerous speakers of the House of Assembly, they have had chairmen of parties, they have even had governors. They are even entitled to a senator. But we because we are in Edo South have never had the opportunity to even produce a senator. We have never had a minister, governor. So, do you really believe if you are talking about fairness that a local government like that where I come from should be excluded?

“My people are also Edo people. Don’t you think that they have a right to say we cannot continue like this? We have no light. I have taken two transformers there, yet we cannot connect. I come from a place like that. Do you think it is fair for me to come from a place like that and you tell me Edo South? Which Edo South are you talking about,” Ize-Iyamu asked in defence of his stance on zoning.

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