South South Leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has said it would be erroneous for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, to authorise zoning of 2023 governorship at the next caucus meeting in Asaba.

Clark, who spoke to Vanguard on phone, asserted: “It will be wrong for Delta PDP to ratify zoning at their next caucus meeting. Any decision to zone must be discussed first before you say it is your turn. Why are they putting the cart before the horse?

“If they know every zone has violated senatorial zoning in the state, let us sit down and say now that all the three senatorial zones have got it, which of the zones should now have it. That is how it should be done.

“After Delta Central senatorial district, it will come to this or after Delta South senatorial district, it will come to this and after Delta North senatorial district, it will come to that. Or you can say, okay, like osusu (traditional money collection system), now that we have finished this round, let the North start. It does not mean that if Governor Ifeanyi Okowa goes, it cannot start from the North again. If it is by osusu way that is way it should happen?

“Was there any meeting when it was decided that Urhobos should start the rotation on senatorial basis or Urhobos are using their majority in the PDP caucus and knowledge to want to impose their wish on other Deltans.

“If it is so, what are we in the South-South part of the country generally fighting the North for? We are saying that they cannot use their population and education to oppress the minority.

“What the Ijaws are saying is that we are in minority, our area is peculiar to other areas. The Urhobos have only the Urhobos in Delta Central, the Aniomas have only the Igbo-speaking people in Delta North, but in Delta South, you have the Isokos, the Ijaws and the Itsekiris and for anybody to say that you cannot zone, according to ethnicity, can you do anything in Delta state without saying that you are doing it on ethnicity.

“So if you saying that cultural dance troupes should be invited, are you going to invite only Itsekiri dancers from Delta South, leave Ijaw and Isoko and you take Urhobo, take Anioma, will it work in the state? So every situation requires a particular solution, we have five ethnic nationalities in the state. Everything has been done on that, not based on senatorial zones. So if three of them have got it, other two are saying that we want to have it,” he said.

The Urhobos have only the Urhobos in Delta Central, the Aniomas have only the Igbo-speaking people.

SadiqBabaSani:
An Isoko man shud be next Delta Governor

Efewestern:


The Urhobos also occupy a huge chunk of Delta South and even the community Clark hails from is Urhobo-speaking (Bilingual).

This talk of equity... come to think of it, How well are the isokos being treated in Delta South?

Vifx:
All politicians will burn in hell

Efewestern:


The Urhobos also occupy a huge chunk of Delta South and even the community Clark hails from is Urhobo-speaking (Bilingual).

This talk of equity... come to think of it, How well are the isokos being treated in Delta South?

Felimax:
Please sir, you guys should not come and confuse the peaceful system because of ethnicity.

Delta Central should have the shot in peace. I am not an Urhobo man and I will never be but the truth must be told.

When it gets to the turn of Delta South then they can have an indoor meeting where they will decide if to give it to an Ijaw man.

For example I don't expect the next governor if from Delta Central to come from the place with Ibori.

So please, you guys should not confuse the beautiful system on ground.

MrAnele:


All black politicians, - both current and past - deserve to be killed in the most brutal way imaginable...

PrinceMajestic:
Edwin Clark want make we hate am now as we like am reach. E reach Urhobo turn according to zoning arrangements then u cor dey kap anyhow, dey reason smoke. Make una nor do watin go cus crisis, Urhobo all unanimously supported okowa's 2 term in the interest of peace and zoning arrangements, they should not mess with the owners of Delta State because we will chase you all away

agboghai:
With due respect to E.K Clark, this is the turn of Delta Central to be the next governor of Delta State. Delta South is made up of Isekiri, Isoko and Ijaw- where Clark is from. That region (Isekiri) has produced the governor (2007-2015). EK Clark, if you are not been economical with the truth, why didn't you tell Senator James Manager who is from your region and have been in the senate for more than 16 years to step down since, so that other people from that region can be in the senate?