Members of the group carried placards with various inscriptions and marched through major streets of Ekpoma to make their demands.
They marched to the Esan West Council Divisional Police headquarters and the Palace of the Onogie of Ekpoma, HRH Anthony Abumere ll.
The group lamented that in the last 16 years, no Esan indigene had occupied the vice chancellorship position of the AAU, pointing out that other institutions in the state were being headed by indigenes of their senatorial districts where the institutions are located.
The protesters, who were led by members of the group, including Oguadena Victor, Joshua Ojo and Igberase Aikohi, appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki, who is a visitor to the university, to grant their demand for fairness and justice.
“University of Benin, for instance, has been occupied by Edo South indigenes. Same with College of Education, Ekiadolor, Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, even before the Federal Government took over the institution, have been manned by indigenes of the zone.
“The same goes for Edo University, Iyahmo. In view of the reality, it is only fair in the spirit of equity and good conscience to appoint an indigene of Edo Central Senatorial District as Vice-Chancellor of AAU, as there are eminently qualified professors of Edo Central extraction who can effectively steer the ship of the institution and move it to the next level.
“Obaseki has been fair to all zones in the state and so, we appeal to him to correct this injustice by acceding to our demand,” they stated.
