ISOKO DESERVE QUALITY POLITICAL LEADERSSHIP IN 2011

There can be no gain saying that, the absence of a well-formatted political leadership, with committed passion for service, has been the major problem militating against the development of the Isoko Nation.

The dawn of another political dispensation behoves. And it present to us, another opportunity to find a lasting solution to this and other obstacles that wrecked our ship of collective progress. It presents to us, an opportunity to effect a positive change in the political leadership of the Isoko Nation.

As we prepare to exercise this Constitutional right to effect change, we urge all Isoko sons and daughters to exercise their right of choice wisely. Thise solemn responsibility, we must discharge passionately.

In the issue of CHOICE of candidates for the various elective positions in 2011, only meaningful negotiation and compromise will produce quality candidates. We must ensure that we use our vote and right of choice, as effective weapons to effect a positive change in the political leadership of the Isoko Nation in particular and Nigeria in general. All hands must be on deck to effectively mobilize and sensitize our people in order to ensure that, they make the right and wise choice for the various elective positions in the forth coming general elections in 2011.

Democracy entails the right of the people to freely choose  and elect their leaders. The criteria and guidelines on how whoever would be a candidate for elective position is to emerge, are clearly set out by the various political parties and well articulated in the electoral act.

We would like to state and restate that, the Isoko nation will not accept selection or anointing of candidates for elective positions. Even though, there are clear signals and indications that, the process will be undermined by the powers that be, like a cork, the Isoko people will simply refuse to be suppressed this time around.

This write-up should not be misconstrued as an opposition agenda. But an opposition to evil machinations. We want the Isoko Nation to be respected this time around. We want our leaders and representatives to emerge through a proper electoral process. We want leaders and representatives that must be willing to submit themselves to proper electoral process, free and fair election and who, must allow our votes to count.

We believe that, only properly chosen and elected leaders and representatives, can represent the people creditably and be held accountable. This group prayerfully urge all the political parties to ensure that the rumoured anointing of candidates for elective positions which we still hold as belonging to the grey zone of hearsay, is indeed allowed to be rumour.

The Isoko Nation shall not remain indifferent this time around. We shall confront the status quo with all that is at our disposal to ensure that out right to choose who represent us, is respected and upheld and that, every vote is counted.

We shall demand that, there should be no godfather factor in the selection of our political leaders and representatives. There should be no one man, who will decide and dictate who becomes what for the rest of us. Only members of the Isoko Nation should be allowed to decide who leads or represent them.

We strongly urge our amiable governor, His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, not to allow the good reputation and goodwill he has earned in these past few years to be soiled or rubbished by some overzealous and ambitious political jobbers.

The yearnings of the Isoko people should not be ignored. We urge His Excellency to hold out against those powerful but selfish Isoko politicians who are hell bent on truncating the collective will and desire of our people.

The Governor should be weary of those selfish politicians who, in their desperate bid to ensure that they dominate the polity of the Isoko Nation, are bent on undermining the people’s right to choose who leads or represents them, and seek to pick the available elective slots at all cost, even at the risk of dragging the good name and reputation of His Excellency to the mud.

We urge His Excellency not to sway support on the unpopular side but, stay with the majority in order to sustain the people’s confidence in the electoral process. With the confidence the Isoko people have expressed in His Excellency in the past, we expect that, he will stand by the people.

We appeal to all Isoko sons and daughters who seek elective positions, to draw on their goodwill and support base, to secure their party’s ticket rather than cutting corners. They must do the things that need to be done to secure their party’s ticket.

Those currently holding elective positions or who hold political appointments must not use the power of incumbency which they currently enjoy to undermine the constitutional right of the people to choose and elect their leaders and representatives. We strongly condemn in its entirety the use of power of incumbency to trample on the democratic rights of the people. They can only be doing so at their own peril.

They must discourage and discontinue this mad rush and insatiable lust for political positions. To contest an election, they must sell themselves to the people first. If the people accept them, then they can run. We strongly appal the situation where candidates for elective positions, emerge through imposition and we condemn it.

This group believes that, anointing candidates with the intent of inhibiting others is very undemocratic. The essence of democracy is free and fair contest. And in the views of Professor Jerry Gana, “if democracy is the rule of the people, then the people must have the right to freely choose and elect their leaders and representatives.”

And Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule, former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), could not agree less with the versatile Professor when he said, “it is only when we elect the right calibre of people that we will be able to progress but so long as we do not elect the right caliber of people, they will do what they like, they will not dispense justice. There will be no peace and stability in the country, there will be no progress. Nigeria (Isoko, mine) needs leaders, leaders of the right calibre, leaders who realize the potential of his country (the Isoko Nation, mine).”

We like to conclude this write-up by examining the views of two notable personalities. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Executive Governor of Edo State, in his theory of “Let the people lead”, enunciated that, “democracy must be real. It must not only exist, but must also be seen to exist, that the people can not be said to be leading if they have no say on who governs or represents them.”

For too long, the Isoko people have remained docile while the affairs of the Isoko Nation were left in the hand of a cabal who kept twisting and appropriating political power in whichever direction and to whoever they wanted.

Bassister Joseph E. Okeke, in his opening address to Anambra North people’s Assembly meeting held on the 4th of July, 2009, expressed the following concern which are applicable to the plight of the Isoko Nation. He said inter alia:
“A time comes to every people, every nation, when they must stand up and proclaim as loudest as possible ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Such times emphasize as never before that, our destiny is in our hands, and we must snatch it. For how long must our people stand apart, allow others to divide and tear us apart, and create rooms to take what belongs to them and us – ONLY TO THEMSELVES.

For how long are we going to allow others to take us for granted, take us as people – WITHOUT AMBITION, WITHOUT PURPOSE and WITHOUT DETERMINATION.”

For how long shall the Isoko people be ridiculed? We dare say, ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”! The Isoko people are a people with a long cherished history and culture. We are a people imbued with a great sense of equity, content to live and let live, to stake our claim without being nasty or desperate in its pursuit. Unfortunately, the Isoko people have been betrayed, misportrayed and misunderstood. This has led to our gross marginalization. Our area has suffered gross under-development compared to other parts of the state.

We urge all Isoko sons and daughters to wake up from their slumber. This is the time to stand up and be counted. The time calls for our undivided loyalty and unity in the pursuit of our common destiny. This much is captured by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, when he asserted that, “we must prepare to come out of our comfort zones and force genuine changes from the polling booth to Aso Rock” (the various elective positions, mine).

We must set aside our political and personal differences and interests; we must be prepared to confront the status quo and make sacrifices to ensure that our collective will and aspiration are not undermined.

As we approach 2011, for another conduct of general election, we urge all Isoko sons and daughters to be weary of deceitful politicians and leaders who, will not allow the people to choose and elect their own representatives. We must shun this show of indiscretion by these brand of leaders.

We re-affirm once more, in very strong terms, the rumoured anointing of candidates for elective positions. It is really giving the Isoko people cause for worry and making the upcoming generation develop a negative disposition. The Isoko Nation is totally opposed to a situation where candidates will be anointed in the closet rather than allowing political congresses to hold so that, the people can choose their leaders and representatives. Isoko people need the right people in the right positions. And we shall insist on performance.

This group, on behalf of true lovers of the Isoko Nation believe that, this rumoured anointing of candidates for elective positions, is indeed a rumour. But if it turns out to be founded, then we shall be ready and willing to take up the constitutional fight in the defence of our right of CHOICE     and VOTES. We shall be ready to stand up and proclaim as loud as possible, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”