The Egbema ethnic nationality in Rivers State under the aegis of Egbema Massive Movement (EMM), has decried what it considers as the persistent political marginalization of Egbema people since the creation of Rivers State in 1967.
Addressing newsmen at Aggah Egbema, the leader of the movement, Comrade Kelly Rufus Iweka, said such unfair treatment was no longer acceptable as Egbema people may now resort to self-help to actualize their aspirations.
According to him, despite the enormous oil and gas resources which contribute to national wealth, Egbema clan is treated as second-class citizens.
He said the ethnic nationality has nothing to show for its contributions to the nation’s economy and cited the reently-concluded party primaries as a pointer to the fact that the main parties, the APC and PDP rejected all Egbema aspirants to both state and national assemblies.
“Seven of Egbema sons contested for different political positions but none sailed through due to obvious marginalization,” the EMM leader declared, noting that Egbema people have resolved to take their destiny in their hands.
He disclosed that the EMM will mobilize Egbema people to boycott all political activities ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“It is rather unfortunate that since Rivers State creation in 1967, Egbema ethnic nationality in ONELGA cannot boost of any visible appointment or elective position. We are not only good in voting for other people but we deserve to be voted for,” Iweka said.
He questioned what Egbema people have done to deserve such “unwholesome treatment, injustice and abandonment by the powers-that-be at both the state and federal levels.”
The Egbemas, he further said, would keep their 30,000 votes until the authorities realise our worth and do the needful for Egbema clan.
He also appealed to Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to stop retiring Egbema indigenes prematurely or replace those retired Egbema indigenes with other indigenes from the area.
Similarly, he urged the state government to speed up the construction of Egbema/Omoku dualisation project in order to enhance development of the area.
