Owie accuses the late Ambrose Alli of betrayal over single campus status of AAU, says it was designed to be multi-campus

▪︎ Appeals to Esan people to stop unnecessary tension over Edo government’s decision to revert to multi-campus status

A former Chief Whip of the Senate (1999-2003), Senator Roland Owie, has appealed to people from Edo central Senatorial district to stop unnecessary tension over the recent multi-campus status granted to Ambrose Alli University (AAU).

Owie said this was to avoid bringing up again, painful experiences of the betrayal of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic and its leaders, by the late Prof. Ambrose Alli’s Government of the old Bendel State.

He said the Bendel State University, now AAU, was approved by the defunct UPN State Executive, at a meeting in February 1980, at its State Headquarters, NTA road, Benin City.

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Owie further stated that it was the late “honest and loyal party man, Dr Ohikhena who was then Commissioner for Education and Barrister Obasuyi who was then Commissioner for Justice, that worked on the bill for the establishment of the University as a multi-campus, but when Gov. Alli was sending the bill to Bendel State House of Assembly, he removed the multi-campus provision in the bill.”

He said that was the day he submitted the name of Mr Sam Iredia as Commissioner to replace that of the leader, and pathfinder of UPN in Bendel State as a Commissioner.

Owie said the following day, after the passage of the Bill, there were protests in Benin over the change of status of the Bendel State University from multi campus to a Single Campus ststus.

He said that was one of the major reasons, in addition to his betrayal of great leaders of the party, like Bar Eddy Osifo, Prince Tony Omoaghe, Senator Nosike Ikpo, the late Hon V.I. Amadasun, Chief Idahosa, Akakasiaka of Ehor, Chief E.O. Imafidon, Chief Ben-Edo Osagie, among others, that led to his (Ambrose Alli’s) inability to win a second term in 1983.

Owie said the recent multi-campus status granted by the state government was just and appropriate, because “where there is no justice, there cannot be peace.”

He added: “We are all Edos in Edo State and according to our late Patriot, Chief Anthony Enahoro “EDOKPAMAKHIN” should be encouraged and built upon. May God bless us all in Jesus name.”