The Benin Summit Group and stakeholders from Edo South have strongly condemned the recent cabinet reshuffle by the Edo State Government, describing it as a “reckless, provocative and insulting” move allegedly aimed at hijacking the Ministry of Oil and Gas.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the group faulted the removal of a commissioner from Edo South—an indigene of an oil- and gas-producing host community—and his replacement with the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Gani Audu, who hails from Edo North.
According to the statement, the development represents a deliberate political takeover of a sensitive ministry established to address the peculiar challenges of oil-bearing communities in Edo South, including environmental degradation, insecurity and long-standing economic neglect.
“This is not a routine reshuffle,” the group stated. “It is a calculated move that strips oil-producing communities of control over a ministry that exists solely because they bear the burden of oil exploration.”
The group also expressed concern that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas is reportedly from Edo North, describing the situation as an unhealthy concentration of power that sidelines Edo South in a sector directly linked to its land and natural resources.
“This is structural injustice in its rawest form,” the statement read.
Drawing parallels with a previous federal appointment that was rejected by Edo South stakeholders, the group warned that the state government was repeating what it described as a “divisive and tone-deaf mistake” by ignoring the sensitivities of host communities.
The Benin Summit Group stressed that the Ministry of Oil and Gas should not be treated as a political reward or loyalty token, noting that handing the portfolio to the Governor’s Chief of Staff sends a strong message of exclusion to the people of Edo South.
They described the appointment as a gross abuse of power, a betrayal of trust, and a dangerous marginalisation of oil-producing communities.
“Edo South will not be silent, will not be patronised, and will not accept this humiliation,” the group declared, warning that the decision would be resisted “politically, socially, and democratically” if not reversed.
The group demanded the immediate reversal of the appointment, adding that failure to do so would be interpreted as a deliberate disregard for Edo South and the Benin people.
“History will record this moment. The people are watching, and we are prepared to respond,” the statement concluded.
The press release was signed by Osato Idemudia, Media Adviser, Benin Summit Group and People of Edo South.
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