By Akinwale Kasali
The Ijaw People in Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC, has lamented the exclusion its people are facing in Delta State and at the Federal level.
The Ijaws said their Tribe has been excluded by the Federal Government in political appointment.
The Ijaw in APC also noted with dismay that out of the three sensitive party positions, the Governor, the Deputy Governor and the state Party Chairman, non was ceded to them, alleging that the marginalisation affected the fortunes of the party in the last General Elections.
In a letter addressed to Elder Godsday Orubebe, Chairman secretariat-sub Committee, Delta State APC Reconciliation Committee, signed by 65 representatives of Delta Ijaw APC members, titled, “Plight of Delta Ijaws in APC and Requisite Redress Sought,” presented By Rt. Hon. Emibra Agbeotu, a member of the 4th National Assembly, the Ijaw APC members pleaded with the Reconciliation Committee to address the imbalance and their exclusion in the allocation of political appointments.
Some of the signatories include Rt. Hon. Emibra Agbeotu former House of Reps member, Hon. (Barr) Tonye Timi & Hon. Kennedy Daubry; former Delta state Assembly members, Amb. Felix Datuowei, Prof. Dr. Bello, Barr Bosin S. Ebikeme & Hon (Barr). R. B. Guanah, former cabinet Commissioners, among others.
The Ijaws called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Party Chairman, Dr. Umar Gandule, to consider their quick inclusion, partnership, patronage and empowerment, to foster unity, oneness of purpose and victory of APC at polls in Delta state.
According to the letter, “This document represents the collective resolve and formal voice of the Ijaw-speaking people in Delta state who are members of the APC.
“It is a response to the invite of the Elder Godsday Orubebe-led secretariat sub-committee of the Delta APC reconciliation committee, Chaired by Chief Ortega Emerho, that requested aggrieved APC members (individuals or groups) in Delta state, to make oral or written submissions on their concerns for consideration and any necessary action, to foster harmony and shared spirit of peace, unity and stability in the party; on reliable foundation of oneness of purposes, and goals.
“We embrace reconciliation because it births harmony, in oneness of spirit, idea, purpose, goals and utmost success.
“Nevertheless, and quite seriously, without mincing words, we urge APC to note that reconciliation without deliberate efforts and commitment to identify, interrogate and sanction those that betrayed APC, and prevented us from winning the 2023 general elections in Delta state, will fall short the dire need, tenets and benefits of reconciliation.
“Presently, and without any form of sanctions to deter those that betrayed us at the polls, we are indirectly, and overly encouraging people to repeat same in future elections.
“Consequently, we state unequivocally, that we are persistently faced with unprovoked and unprecedented non-inclusion and marginalization from successive administrations of our party, APC, and the APC-led federal governments, since 2014 to date, instead of being nurtured, patronised of our potentials and prospects via apt inclusion that will exert unity, and harmonious actions, to secure our votes that often determine victory at polls in Delta state.
“Arising from our implicit support and firm confidence on Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinibu, GCFR, and his renewed hope agenda, the Dr. Umar Ganduje- led National EXCO of APC, and dire concern for the plight of APC, and in recognizing that its recent performance in our state is mainly self-inflicted, via inept practices of non-inclusion, internal quarrels and resentments, which birthed acrimonies, grievances and absurdities in us, we find it apt to outline the following issues and requisite redress, in order that we can win at polls in Delta state.”
Among the items listed were voting strength and prospects of APC in Local Government Areas domiciled by Ijaws in Delta State.
The letter explained that the Delta South Senatorial District is composed of eight Local Government Areas with 65 Wards. The Delta Ijaws control 41 of the 65 Wards, adding that it represents approximately 67 percent of the voting strength, and victory determining votes in the Senatorial District.
“Despite this significant strength and worth, our dear party, APC, have systematically sidelined us, through brazen neglect and outright disregard of our people and essential votes,” it stated.
On the issue of counter-productive reward system, the people in the letter alleged that prior to the 2023 elections, APC had inadequate membership in the 41 Ijaw controlled wards and had consistently failed to secure victory at polls.
“However, in the recent general elections, Elder Godsday Orubebe, CON, DG of the Delta campaign council, successfully mobilized Deltans via his team. In fact, we sacrificed time, energy, and resources with him, and pulled over 56% of our votes that had been swaying victory for PDP at polls in Delta state.
“Despite this, no Delta Ijaw APC member has been appointed or patronized by our APC-led federal government. Instead, non-APC members and non-Ijaws are given appointments at our expense and ridicule. This births resentment and disillusionment in us.”
It said that it was sad and disheartening that the adorable efforts made by the APC members of Ijaw ethnic group in Delta State have yielded no reward, “thereby creating resentment and deep frustration amongst us in APC. If this anomaly is not corrected, it will deepen apathy within our ranks, and entrench bleak future for APC in the 2027 general elections.”
It further stated that the Deta Ijaws in APC support the issue of rotation of government and party offices among the three senatorial districts.
“However, as none of the three key offices: Governor, Deputy Governor, and state party chairman is not allotted or rotated to us (Delta south senatorial district), we are undermined and marginalized.
“This amounts to non-inclusion, inadequate strategy, ill-equipment, and ineffective mobilization of our essential votes that had exerted overall victory at successive polls in Delta state for the decades.
“Given our growing strength and unique potential to deliver essential votes that determine victory at polls, we demand that the position of Delta state APC chairman is zoned to us, Delta Ijaws in APC.”
On the election of party officials and delegates, it said, “Despite the increasing support for APC in the Delta Ijaw wards and the fact that our votes had decisive roles in securing victory at polls for decades, we are grossly and persistently excluded from participating in the election of credible and committed party officials and, party delegates for our units, wards and LGAs.
“Instead, APC imposes cronies; who are incapable and disconnected from voters. This births resentment, acrimony and division within our ranks, and negatively affects the planning, management, and administration of our party affairs.”
Appealing for inclusion in political appointments, the people said, “We are neglected and marginalized brazenly, despite our contributions and potentials to APC’s prospects and required success at polls. If these issues raised are not addressed aptly, they will thrive to ruin the strength and prospects of APC in Delta state continuously.
“Thus, see with us as we call on our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and Dr. Umar Gandule, National Chairman of APC, our dear party, for quick inclusion, partnership, patronage and empowerment, to foster unity, oneness of purpose and victory of APC at polls in Delta state.”
