Umakhihe: Time for New Owan Federal Constituency to Flourish

Olu Osagie

Last Sunday, Otuo community in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State came alive with celebrations. Yes, it was Easter Sunday, the day Christians all over the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, for the indigenes of Otuo, it was the celebration of an illustrious son, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe. The former federal permanent secretary, a Ph.D holder and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA) flagged off his quest to represent the Owan Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Picking that Easter Sunday was symbolic. It was Umakhihe’s notice to the Owan Nation that it was time for a new beginning, a renewed hope for better living. It was an end to promises not kept.

A highly cerebral retired public servant, Umakhihe’s entry to the race for the Green Chamber of the 11th National Assembly was generally seen as the best choice for Owan.

He expectedly received the endorsement of his APC Ward 8 leaders at the high-profile event, which took place before an assembly of party stalwarts and community leaders at Otuo.

Speaking at the event, a former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Pally Iriase, formally threw his weight behind the candidacy of Dr. Umakhihe for the 2027 House of Representatives seat.

Rt. Hon. Iriase who quit active politics in 2019 after serving variously as Member of the House of Reps, Member Edo House of Assembly, Secretary to Edo State Government and Chairman of Owan East LGA, insisted that he was not returning to party politics but would not stand aside and allow the internal zoning arrangement between Owan East and Owan West that has worked perfectly for harmony and equity in the Owan Federal Constituency to be trampled upon.

“My endorsement of Umakhihe is not merely a personal preference but a defence of the long-standing zoning arrangement between Owan East and Owan West. Owan West has done its eight years with Prof. Julius Ihonvbere second term and it should naturally return to Owan East,” observed Hon. Iriase.

He described Umakhihe as representing the unanimous choice of a people tired of sit-tight politics.

“He is the bridge between administrative excellence and our future political stability.”

He insisted that any attempt to subvert this long-standing agreement will have consequences for the party.

In his remarks, Umakhihe was full of appreciation for the party stalwarts and community leaders  who turned his flag off into a carnival of a sort.

“This is just my flag off to tell my ward that I am offering myself for the House of Representatives. I am eminently qualified and have the capacity to deliver on my promise. Owan Federal Constituency deserves a man who understands the workings of government at the highest level,” stressed Umakhihe, who as a public servant, touched the lives of most communities in both Owan local government areas with projects such as roads, borehole water provisions, solar street lights, capacity building, among several others.

His campaign, which is anchored on sustainable growth and institutional accountability, has gained rapid momentum amongst party faithfuls ahead of the APC primaries slated for early next month.

The Umakhihe’s camp is holding on to the unwritten, internal power-sharing agreement designed to ensure equity and communal harmony between the two Owan LGAs. The House of Representatives seat is now slated to rotate to Owan East. This automatically renders  any third-term bid by incumbent Professor Julius Ihonvbere from the alternate axis a violation of the “Owan Agenda.”

“The Owan spirit is built on fairness and mutual respect,” Iriase recalled earlier while endorsing Umakhihe.

Some of the youth leaders from both local governments present at the flag off, unanimously endorsed Umakhihe as the choice of the people.

They insisted that the era of forcing unpopular candidates on Owan through external pressure is over. One of the youth leaders under the OYM/NCM banner stressed with emphasis: “Hon. Pally Iriase has spoken the mind of the people. We are moving forward with Dr. Umakhihe. The democratic will of the local electorate must be respected and not force an unpopular candidate on us.”

Umakhihe is a Nigerian accountant, public administrator and philanthropist. He was the immediate past Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from where he retired meritoriously on January 2, 2024. A product of Edo College, he graduated from University of Benin with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. He added an MBA from the same university in 1997 before receiving his doctorate degree in Security and Strategic Studies from Nasarawa State University.