Leaders in Akokoland in Ondo State yesterday staged a protest over alleged marginalization by the state government in the newly created Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
The leaders under the auspices of Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF), said the implication and intending fallout of, “the purported exercise is aimed at subjugating, marginalizing and killing Akoko politically. “
Addressing journalists in Akure, the state capital, the president of the ACF, Pa. Rogbitan Lawrence Ibukun, disclosed that the action of the “state government is to further put the Akokos in perpetual bondage in the scheme of things compared to Owo and Ose within the same Ondo North Senatorial District. “
Flanked by the secretary of ACF, Mr. Benson Dada and other leaders from the Akokos, the ACF vowed not to accept the newly created LCDAs unless the government addressed the injustice in it.
The protesters wondered why the four (4)Akoko LGAs were allocated (9) Nine LCDAs while Owo and Ose with only two (2) LGAs were allocated Eight (8) LCDAs “which implies 2 is equal to 8 , and , 4 is equal to 9 !”
“Population wise, according to 2006 Census figure, (a) Owo LGA has a population of 218,886 and (b) Ose has a population of 144,901 . The total population of Owo and Ose is 363,787 whereas the total population of the 4 Akokos is/701,113.
“On behalf of the entire sons and daughters of Akoko home and abroad, the National Leadership of Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF) with our teeming members gathered here to express our views to Ondo State government and the entire world at large numerous cases of Injustice, Marginalization and Oppression of our People and to say no to such forthwith.’’
