The Esan Youths Movement, an umbrella Socio Cultural development Organization of all Esan people has lend a voice for Esan to emerge as the speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly to balance the composition of government in the state.
This demand was contained in a letter addressed to the government of Edo State and copied to the Edo State House of Assembly, political leaders and also made available to press men.
In the said letter, the Esan Youths Movement under the leadership of Comrade Kingsley Ohens humbly demanded that the principles of federal character as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution be followed in the composition of Edo state government that since the governor is from Edo South, and the deputy governor is from Edo North, the next highest exalted office in the land which is the office of the speaker of the House of Assembly is by this principle belongs to the Esan members at the House of Assembly.
Comrade Ohens further stated that in a situation whereby a member from other senatorial district emerge as speaker will be highly unfair to the Esan people as they will have no place of importance in the Edo state government especially now that all the 6 constituencies of the House of Assembly from Edo Central Senatorial District were delivered by the All Progressive Congress in the land election. This goes to show the amount of cooperation, love and respect accorded the ruling party in Esan Land and to the state government, Ohens stated.
The letter reads:
Esan Youth Movement
National Secretariat: Former Okpebholo Hotel,
Opposite Big Joe Motor,
Benin Auchi Express Road,
Ekpoma,
Edo State.
Motto: Akugbe Ahu.
ESAN YOUTH MOVEMENT POSITION PAPER ON THE SPEAKERSHIP POSITION IN EDO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
25TH MARCH, 2019
The Executive Governor
Edo State.
- Esan Youth Movement is the umbrella body of the youths of Esan decent residing in different part of the world doing what they know how to do best.
- We wish to appreciate His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki, the Executive Governor of Edo State for the new water project just commissioned in Ugborha, Esan North East local Government of the State. Our unalloyed appreciation goes to you and the entire executive council of the state.
- We wish to congratulate the entire legislators of Esan ethnic group which include The Senate, Reps and State house of Assembly.
- We wish to draw the attention of his excellency to the skimming going on before the inauguration of the state house assembly as regards the speakership position. It is no longer a news that Esan race has not been in the scheme of things in recent years regarding the position of the first five persons in the government structure in Edo State.
- Your excellency, by the Grace of God the Esan Race has delivered 6/6 of the EDHA members to your party (APC) in Esanland. It was done to ensure we show our complete loyalty to you and your party so as not to also have an excuse in seeding the Speakership position to the Esan ethnic group.
We specially appeal to you your Excellency to ensure the needful are done before the inauguration of EDHA particularly the Speakership position to the Esan People which will allow equitable distribution of the first three position under your government to be properly distributed. - Currently, the distributions are: Governor (Edo South), Deputy Governor (Edo North), Speaker (Edo North), SSG (Edo South), Chief of Staff (Edo North). Esan is totally out of the scheme as if we are now alien in our own land. Please, your excellency as the number one in your party in Edo State, we trust your leadership and your government to address this monumental mistake that has been inflicted on Esan Race over recent years.
- It is on this same vein we appeal to all incoming members of the house to please look into this our appeal critically so the needful could be done which is making Esan person the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA).
- As we await positive response to this our peaceful and intellectual position paper presented to you by the leadership of this movement on behalf of all Esan Youth residing in different part of the world, be assured of our deepest and undiluted regards.
Long Live Esan People
Long Live Edo State
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria
Sincerely
Mr. Kingsley Ohens
President
Esan Youth Movement
Princess Lorita Agbokhan
Vice President
Esan Youth Movement
Mr. Osajele Godsent Jomo
Program Director
Mr. Alex Orukpe
Mr. Fidelis Edokpa
Lady Mrs. Ekhator
Women Development (EYM)
Rev. J.S Imoisili
Elders Council
Elder Peter I. Imhansoloeva(JP)
Elders Council
CC:
Rt. Hon. Victor Sabor Edoror
Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Okoduwa
Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye
Hon. Marcus Onobu
Hon. Ephraim A.
Hon. Sunny Ikpenomen
