By Uwakwe Abugu (Benin)
and Sola Shittu (Ibadan)

Sedretary General of the YCE, Kunle Oladeji urged the ACF to accept the 25 per cent derivation being demanded by the South-South zone in the interest of the continued existence of the country.

The YCE scribe who is also a delegate to the conference said the North should be more humane in considering the plight of the people of the Niger Delta region.

The Omo N’oba, however, explained that in reality, the 25 per cent mark accepted by the South- South delegates is a remarkable sacrifice considering that what the people had demanded originally was about 75 per cent.

The monarch, who made the remarks in his palace during his quarterly interactive session with newsmen in Benin City, also expressed dismay at the menace of cultism in higher institutions of learning in Edo State.

And in the political tension building up in the state over which of the three senatorial districts would produce the next governor of state come 2007, the traditional ruler threw his weight behind the Bini people’s aspiration to retain power.

Asked to add his fatherly advice on the way out of the crisis threatening the national conference, he said, “I want to appeal to those of them opposing the 25% derivation to have a change of heart.

“Let us leave it at that 25 per cent and let all the palaver go; the south south came down to 25 per cent from a higher demand.

“So, I am pleading with our people over there who are opposing the 25 per cent to see reason and accept it”, he stated.

On cultism in the higher institutions in the state, Oba Erediauwa said, “It is an embarrassing situation to all of us.

Nobody knows what is causing it. We pray that God removes it”, adding that government has been what it can to contain the scourge.

Speaking on the opposition against the aspiration of Edo South people to produce a governor come 2007 since incumbent governor, Lucky Igbinedion is from the south district of the state, the royal father said nobody should expect him to sit back in his palace and support any move to stop his people from voting or being voted for.

He was reacting to a question as to whether he would support the position canvassed last Tuesday by a prince of his palace, Edun Akenzua that the Edo South wants to retain power.