Some Oron youths in Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday protested over “undue marginalisation” of Oron nation by the current administration.
The youths, numbering more than 1,000, conducted a peaceful demonstration march from Oron to Civic Centre, Oron Beach and Oya Oron Junction.
Okon Enweme, the International Youth President of Essu Nlap Oro, said the protest was sequel to selection procedure of gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State.
Enweme said: “We protested today because we do not accept the procedure of selection of gubernatorial candidate on PDP platform.
“The peaceful demonstration concerns the political situation in Akwa Ibom, which the party’s primary of selecting the governorship candidate in PDP on 8th December was boycotted by other 22 aspirants.
“Notwithstanding, the governor, party chairman and delegates of PDP national committee still went ahead to conduct the primary in spite of the boycott by other 22 aggrieved aspirants.”
Enweme said that the entire Oron people condemned the act in totality.
He said Oron youths rejected the imposition of gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in the state.
He said: “They came up with a candidate at the end which many alleged that Oron nation is in support of the process which brought forth that one aspirant.
“They argued that it was not proper for the area to be denied the opportunity to produce the governor of the state in 2015 since the state was founded on a tripod stand.”
Enweme said that the area, as one of the federal constituencies with five local government areas that formed the majority in Eket Senatorial District, should produce the next governor of the state.
Enweme said Oron nation would take a collective decision even as the party would decide in 2015.
He said that their decision would work against its success if the party supported imposition during 2015 general elections in the state.
He said: “We are aggrieved and not happy with the way PDP is doing things now.
“I reserve my comment as a youth president, but let me say that PDP will take decision as a family and Oron people will also take a decision as a people.
“We are pleading to Mr. President to look into our problems to avoid distraction as many people are ready to defect from PDP to other parties.
“That is why we are calling on Mr President, the leadership of the party to look at the matter critically.”
Enweme said that since the creation of the state, Oron man had never been an acting governor, not to talk about being a governor.
He said: “If you take a look at Oron nation, you will testify that nothing is happening here.
“No good roads, no factories and so on.
“It is painful as Oron is totally marginalised.
“That is why we are seeking for this position to see what we can use the position to bring dividends of democracy to the people.
“Though it is not going to be Oron governor, but Akwa Ibom governor but from Oron extraction.”
Also reacting, the President General of the Oron Union, Auqwu Enukim, said the essence of the protest was to inform the public about the long marginalisation of the people by the current administration.
Enukim said Oron youths, as a nation, would not accept any imposition by an individual.
Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, DSP Etim Dickson, confirmed the incident, saying adequate officers were deployed in the area to forestall any break down of law and order.
Dickson, however, appealed to the people to be law abiding, while pressing for their requests.