To ensure equity and fairness take the centrestage in 2023, lsoko must be given the opportunity to produce the next governor of the Delta State.

A pressure group, Equity Group of Isoko (EGI) made the appeal to  other tribes in the state in a statement.

The group Coordinator, Mazno Ovadhe, said the group took the decision after a dialogue meeting among members based in Isoko, Warri, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja.

“We urge other tribes in our state to vote en masse for an lsoko candidate, irrespective of political party,” he said.

They based their agitation on the premise that Urhobo has ruled two terms, Felix Ibru and James Ibori, who is considered political godfather in Delta State politics, especially in the Peoples Democratic Part (PDP).

EGI also noted that an Itsekiri man, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has also ruled the state while an lka, Ifeanyi Okowa, is currently the governor.

“In fairness, Isoko, Ijaw and Anoocha that have not ruled should be given the opportunity. We want to put the records straight that the votes of ljaw and lsoko people are one of the highest. Why should other tribes relegate these tribes to the background?”  the group queried.

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“We also frown at comments credited to some Urhobo leaders that, it is the turn of an Urhobo person again to become the next governor of Delta State.”

EGI said there was never any gentleman agreement in the state.

“When Ibori aspired to be governor of the state, his kinsmen fought for him.

“After his second tenure, the pendulum was to swing to either South or North (assuming or believing in the gentleman agreement. If there was yet those who felt the state was their private empire.

“They came up from the Central to wrest power from vulnerable South and North. It took divine intervention for South to get the ticket of PDP. This threw up Uduaghan. Even when Uduaghan got the ticket, same people from Central ganged up against him and joined forces with their kinsmen to undo him. Uduaghan was distracted by the Urhobos through litigations. In fact, Ibori had a good dose of the bitter pill from his kinsmen for  endorsing an Itsekiri to succeed him.

“We, therefore, urge all stakeholders, irrespective party affiliation, to support an lsoko candidate.”