Displeased that the Urhobo Political Union has threatened to ex-communicate any Urhobo indigene that refuses to adhere to its decision on the governorship election ofFebruary 28, the Delta People for Equity And Credible Election on Sunday queried the electoral value of the union.
The union, which is the apex decision making body at the Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State, had vowed to deploy its constitutional rights to support any candidate of its choice in the forthcoming election, irrespective of political affiliation.
The union became aggrieved after Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who hails from Delta North Senatorial District, defeated 24 others to emerge as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
In a 20-point confirmatory statement, D-PEACE, fronted by its Chief Project Coordinator of the group, Olorogun Omoru David, in Asaba on Sunday wondered whether the union has the electoral value to swing victory for any candidate in an election.
The group recalled how the union had since the advent of democracy in 1999 been recording failure in producing a governor for the entire state through endorsement, maintaining that February 28 will not also be an exception.
The group described the union’s position on Okowa’s emergence as “apolitical”, wondering why the union made a new twist after the PDP primary elections onDecember 8, thereby championing a new course of action aimed at misguiding the Urhobos by supporting the opposition.
The group said: “UPU, which is suppose to be apolitical hs continued to take center stage in the political affairs of the Urhobo nation. What the UPU does in the current polity does not reflect the collective will of the Urhobo people.
“It is on record that from 1999 till date, no governorship candidate has won election based on his endorsement by the UPU. This consistent failure of the UPU to successfully sponsor her candidate to victory has impeded the chance of Urhobos from getting their deserved benefits either from the state or federal government.”
While the group urged the union to join the league of true progressives and rescind its threat, it hailed Governor Emmauel Uduaghan for accepting to chair the PDP Campaign Council in the state.
“We believe that Chief David Edevbie came second, not because he got the UPU endorsement but because the Governor, Dr. Emmaneul Uduaghan, threw his weight behind him,” Omoru said.