Edo Deputy Speaker Atu Faces Rejection Over Alleged Unfulfilled Promises


By Elvis Omoregie 

Tensions flared in Abudu, headquarters of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, on Friday as aggrieved youths from Orhionmwon East Constituency staged a protest against the re-election bid of the Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Osamwonyi Atu, accusing him of failing to deliver on key campaign promises.

The protest, which coincided with plans by the lawmaker to formally flag off his second-term campaign, exposed deep-seated dissatisfaction among constituents who say years after his election, critical development issues remain unaddressed.

Operating under the banner of Concerned Orhionmwon East Youths, the protesters carried placards with inscriptions condemning what they described as “political abandonment” and “unfulfilled assurances.” They insisted that any talk of re-election was premature and unjustified without tangible evidence of performance.

At the heart of their grievances is a lingering power outage reportedly affecting parts of the constituency for over 15 years, a situation the youths say has crippled economic activities and worsened living conditions. They also decried the alleged non-completion of a comprehensive school project, which they claim was a flagship promise during the 2023 campaigns.

“We cannot continue to recycle leadership that has not delivered. The people deserve accountability, not another round of promises,” one of the protest leaders declared.

The demonstrators further vowed to resist any attempt to proceed with campaign activities in the area until their concerns are addressed, signaling a potentially volatile political climate ahead of the next election cycle.

However, in a swift rebuttal, Hon. Atu dismissed the protest as politically motivated, alleging that it was orchestrated by individuals displeased with the Assembly’s recent anti-cultism legislation.

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