By John Oghojafor
Following a recent report credited to Senator James Manager to the effect that he (Manager) is running for the Delta South Senatorial seat in the 2019 election, the Isoko ethnic nationality has declared that, going by the age-long gentleman agreement between the three ethnic nationalities of Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri making up the senatorial district, it is the turn of the Itsekiri nation to produce the next Senator.
It would be recalled that Senator James Manager who is an Ijaw, has been occupying the Delta South Senatorial seat for four terms of 16 years now on the platform of the PDP and he is presently aspiring to go for another four year term as a Senator. He was reportedly alleged to have sworn that over his dead body the senatorial seat will not rotate to the Itsekiri nationality.
But during a consultation visit by a delegation of Itsekiri leaders and elders led by the Ologbosere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Emami Ayiri to the leadership and elders at the Isoko Unity Hall in Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, the Isoko people affirmed that it was the turn of the Itsekiri to produce the next Senator to represent the Delta South District in the red chambers of the National Assembly.
Earlier, Chief Ayiri had disclosed to the Isoko leaders and elders that the delegation was at the instance of the Warri monarch, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli I, Olu of Warri, adding that the purpose was to consult with the Isoko nation on the need for them to reaffirm the position that it was the turn of the Itsekiri to produce the next Senator for the district.
Responding, the President General of Isoko Development Union (IDU), Chief Idu Amaide stated that there has been an age-long understanding between the three ethnic nationality of Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri which constitute the Delta South Senatorial district, to rotate political positions in the area especially the senatorial seat, among the three tribes.
Said he: “This time around, the Isoko were interested in the Senate. But the elders put their heads together and say no, let us go to our sister ethnic nationality, the Itsekiri. If they say they want it, we will say ok, who do you present? And when we get to that point, we will ask Itsekiri if they trust the person whom they present. If they say yes, we will do small agreement with the person. We will even suggest that we give the person one of our sons from Isoko to work with the Senator from Itsekiri. So, he will be working with one of Isoko sons and one of Ijaw sons, so that our area will not be shortchanged.
“This is a powerful delegation from the most respected person in Itsekiri land. And the Isoko people cannot say no. If the Olu has sent you to the Isoko nation, we cannot say no to you at all. I want to tell you that on behalf of the leaders and all those who are not here now, we will stand by what we are discussing now.”
The IDU President-General also stressed the need for the Itsekiri delegation to visit the Ijaws to solicit their support, noting that at the end, there will be the need to convoke a meeting of the three ethnic nationality where an agreement will be reached and a communique signed on the choice of the person from Itsekiri nation to represent the district at the Senate. He noted that the Itsekiri people are straight-forward people who don’t talk from both sides of the mouth. According to him, “like what my two fathers here have spoken, if an Itsekiri man says yes, then it is yes. That is how we know them.”
Chief Ayiri expressed satisfaction with the positive response from the Isoko nation, assuring that he has a message to take home from the visit. He thanked the Isoko people for recognizing the nature of the Itsekiri people as straight-forward people.
Said he: “I have a message to take back home. I have a message to deliver. I thank you for the confidence you repose on the Itsekiri people. When we say yes, it is yes. I think that is enough for us to take back home. I thank you for the messages of the leaders that we must start again from where we stopped. And if I can understand you, this is the turn of the Itsekiri.”
Chief Ayiri assured that the Itsekiri delegation will also reach to the Ijaws, adding that he believed the Ijaw will understand their position.
“I can assure you that we are going to reach out to our Ijaw brothers. And I believe they will understand our position in this matter”, he concluded.
Fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Isoko Development Union President General, Chief Idu Amaide stated that the Isoko have agreed to appeal to the Ijaw on behalf of the Itsekiri to allow them (Itsekiri) to produce the next Senator in the spirit of the principle of rotation among the three ethnic nationalities in the district.
Amaide stressed that the Isoko will continue to appeal to the Ijaws to see the need to comply with the rotation principle, adding that “since we have a common father which is Delta South, we should divide whatever we have equally between the three children. That is what we are going to do.”
The Itsekiri delegates include Chief Emami Ayiri, Chief Jemide, Prince Emiko and others while on the side of the Isokos were Chief Idu Amaide (President-General of Isoko Development Union), Chief Etaluku among other leaders and elders.
