A socio-political cum cultural group based in Benin, Aiguobasinmwin Movement Worldwide, has accused the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, of marginalising the Benins in favour of the Esans in the scheme of things.
In a Press Statement issued on Tuesday morning and co-signed by Mr. Iyamu Osaro Culture (President), Mr. Osayuki-Osa Benson (Secretary General) and Mr. Monday Ohuimumwen JP (Diaspora Coordinator), the group stated: “Initially, when Barrister Felix Iserere was relieved of his duties as Special Adviser, we thought Governor Monday Okpebholo was on the right path, but that perception shifted a few weeks later with the dismissal of yet another Benin individual, Mrs. Maureen Ekhoragbon as the Chairman of Board of Technical and Vocational Education who was subsequently replaced with Esan woman, Mrs. Onomen Goodness Briggs, thereafter we saw the replacement of Dr. Samson Osagie with another person as Attorney General and Commissioner For Justice.
“Similarly, Tinyan Otuomagie, who was the CEO/MD of Edo Line was replaced with Esan person. Sadly, just yesterday, we saw a letter signed by SSG stating the appointment of Patrick Aguinede as replacement for Destiny Ebagua as Benin man who was the GM, Edo State Signage & Advertisement Agency(EDSAA).”
Going further, the group stressed: “It is worthy to note that we have been watching Governor Monday Okpebholo acts against the Benins through the lens of tribal politics, particularly after we rejected the IYALOJA concept, his attitude towards the Benin Nation changes.
“It appears that Okpebholo has amnesia regarding the sacrifices Benins made for his gubernatorial emergence in Edo State. One wonders why Okpebholo sacked and replaced Benins with his Esan people.
“Why does he apply different standards to his Esan counterparts, redeploying them to other agencies instead of taking similar actions as he did with Benins?”
According to Aiguobasinmwin, “there have been serious concerns about Governor Monday Okpebholo stance towards the Benin people who paid the greatest sacrifice for him before and during the 2024 Governorship elections especially those at the grassroots who have been abandoned to languish whereas those in Edo Central are being given contracts and appointments on daily basis without announcements.”
The group called upon the Edo South APC leaders and stakeholders “to rise above partisan interests and address the biasness being exhibited by the Okpebholo led administration against the Benin Nation and her people.”
Discussion about this post