…Calls for collaboration between the Itsekiris and the Ijaws
…Respect the rotation arrangement, Itsekiris urged
After a long period of consultations, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, media consultant to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo on Wednesday 9th May, 2018 finally declared that he will by the grace of God be contesting for a seat in the Delta State House of Assembly to represent the good people of Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.
Dr. Paul Bebenimibo stated this in warri in an interview with GbaramatuVoice.
According to him, he hopes to actualize this dream on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which of course is the predominant party in the state.
In his words; “I am by the grace of God vying for the House of Assembly position to represent the Warri South West constituency. I did that in 2011. I was on the platform of PDP (Peoples Democratic Party). I was one of the two persons that bought Forms. Apart from the present occupant of that seat, Hon. Mayuku Daniel, I was the last person that bought the PDP Form for that constituency.
“And I was picked but I was kicked out of the contest because I was going to win that election, so they skew me out of that contest. I spent so much money consulting, and it was clear that I was winning. So, I am also going for that position this year,” he added.
Giving details, the media practitioner turned politician explained that it should be the turn of the Ijaws from Warri South West to produce the assembly member, as it is rotated within the Ijaws and Itsekiris, the two tribes that make up the constituency as it is done everywhere.
An arrangement he opined is helpful in the peaceful coexistence of all the ethnic groups in the state.
“For instance, if not because of rotation and collaboration, there is no way an Itsekiri man will have been the governor of this state. Same, he added is applicable to the Isokos and the Ijaws.”
Bebenimibo told GbaramatuVoice that the same thing is applicable in Warri South West and therefore call for collaboration.
So let them know that Ijaw man is going to occupy that seat come 2019 and let us also abide by the rotational arrangement as agreed, that it is time for an Ijaw man to occupy the position, he pleaded.
When asked of the feasibility of such arrangement? He responded thus; “There are processes that you feel that you don’t want a peaceful change, then people may go in a different way to get that position.
“So let them, the Itsekiris know that Ijaw man is going for that position and let them agree peacefully to relinquish that position for the Ijaw man, that is when the Ijaw man will also relinquish that senatorial position for them to go and represent. Of course, we are all human; we need to be our brother’s keeper and also to make sure that if one is in power, all is in power; If one is out of power then all is out of power too.”
Bebenimibo, who is also known across the nation for his human rights activism, argued that he will come out on the basis that they will have this thing in a peaceful way, as he is a man of peace who can never support violence as an option.
He, therefore, advised his Itsekiri brothers not to provoke the Ijaws into violence “because when George Ekpemupolo, an Ijaw son was in the council, they were running up and down to take over from him. And of course, that is what was done in January.
“Now that they are in the council they should allow us the Ijaws to occupy that position at the State Assembly. I don’t want any Itsekiri man to contest for that position. They should allow the Ijaws to contest for that position and whoever the Ijaws choose to occupy that position should be. I am in the race by God’s grace,” he concluded.
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