Franklin Erepamo Osaisai, one of the candidates in the forthcoming Ijaw National Congress election, has assured that he will make sure that all the Ijaws remain more united if he wins the election.
Erepamo, who is knowledgeable in the Ijaw struggle, speaking to a New Telegraph Newspaper correspondent on Tuesday, stated that for him to lead the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality through the Ijaw National Congress, it means that he has to think about the development of the people over time.
He said that he will ask for fairness from the federal government, adding that, “each component of the federation should be treated fairly, taking into consideration their resources, their needs, the environmental issues that affect them for the benefit of the larger country.”
Osaisai revealed that he will work with the senators and House of Representatives members from the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality at the centre to make sure that all that is due the Ijaws gets to them.
Erepamo, however, revealed that he will be working with the traditional rulers, youth bodies, women groups, and all relevant stakeholders to make sure that his purpose is achieved.
“I think the intention of somebody wanting to lead an ethnic nationality is to ensure that we are able to organise ourselves. I have to think of our own development over time.
“There have to be plans to ensure that we bring some elements of unity and understanding amongst us. And to press for the case of having a fair share of what we think should belong to us in the federation that we are part of.
“And I don’t believe that any of the candidates think very differently. But I think the key issue,what differentiates one candidate from another is the level of preparedness. And I’m glad you rightly stated I am a teacher, but a teacher with a lot of exposure, responsibilities, and experiences outside of teaching.”
Promising to work with the National Assembly members from the region to achieve the desired results, he said, “I know that we have our own representatives in the National Assembly, both at the upper and the lower chambers. I think that what we need to do, as part of the people from the Niger Delta, is be able to articulate our needs.
“And I think quite a number of them do. And that is what they should be taking to the centre to argue for us, to be able to ensure that they’re able to achieve our own aspirations.
He assured that, “We are not going to take them away and speak for them. We can only support them, give them the needed information, strengthen them.”
The teacher maintained that, as the leader of an ethnic nationality-to-be, “the main issue is organizing my people to ensure that there’s some good element of sustainable socioeconomic development.
“That will entail unifying the people and also working with quite a large number of groups, professionals, elders, and traditional rulers. There has to be some element of communities, clans, and ethnic nationalities being able to organise themselves, addressing these issues in a way that there is a traditional and cultural angle to reach.
“Those are some of the issues that I think will be brought to the fore when I get to be the President of the INC. Those are the key issues that would form the plank of my presidency,” he reiterated.
Recall that the Ijaw National Congress election is billed to take place on the 12th of March, 2026, with about six persons jostling for the position of President.
