The Concerned Citizens of Isoko Nation have issued a wake-up call to their elected representatives in the Delta State House of Assembly, demanding an immediate end to their “deafening silence” over a decade-long power outage and systemic neglect plaguing the ethnic nationality.
In an open letter addressed to the lawmakers signed by Morrison Igelige, the group cleared the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, of blame regarding the infrastructural deficit.
They noted that recent findings and a peaceful protest staged at the Government House in Asaba revealed that the executive arm is willing to develop the region.
“It is now overwhelmingly obvious to the Isoko Nation that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, is not the root cause of the underdevelopment and darkness in our land,” the statement read.
The group lauded the governor’s ongoing interventions, particularly his administration’s commitment to rehabilitating critical power infrastructure, including the abandoned Ozoro 132/33kV transmission line and substation.
However, they turned their searchlight on their local lawmakers, questioning their commitment to their constitutional and moral duties. The citizens expressed deep frustration that despite being a major oil-producing area that contributes significantly to the state’s economy, Isoko has been left to rot in darkness while its representatives watch silently.
“We did not give you our mandates to sit silently in Asaba while our local economy is crippled by a decade-long blackout and our communities suffer from systemic neglect,” the group stated. “We are demanding that you speak up, step up, and bring home the dividends of democracy that the Isoko Nation rightfully deserves.”
The letter further accused certain unnamed political actors of attempting to sabotage their recent peaceful demonstration for selfish, personal gains. They reminded the lawmakers that their core obligations include boldly articulating the pains and marginalization of the Isoko people on the floor of the House.
The citizens urged the lawmakers to aggressively monitor the execution of state projects to ensure budgetary allocations for the area are fully implemented. They also demanded immediate collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to expedite the Ozoro power project.
Warning that the era of passive representation is over, the group concluded: “We urge you all to use your offices to push for total electrification, better roads, and sustainable empowerment for our youth and elders. We are watching, and we expect a swift, positive change.”