The Urhobo, who inhabit the Delta central senatorial district, are expected to produce the state governor in 2023, going by an unscripted zoning arrangement in the state.
Trouble, however, started weekend when the President-General of UPU, Olorogun Moses Taiga, and other leaders of the union announced the endorsement of Edevbie as the Urhobo choice for governor, and went ahead to authorise adverts in national dailies to the effect.
The Chairman of CUY, Isaac Omomedia, yesterday, addressed a media conference attended by other leaders of the group, namely: Olorogun Vincent Oyibode, (coordinator); Chief Samuel Oghotomo, representing Urhobo Youth Leaders Association and Engho Godspower, representing Urhobo Youth Council.
They called on members of the coalition, comprising Urhobo Youth Leaders Association (UYLA), Urhobo Youth Council (UYC), Urhobo National Youth Movement (UNYM) HOSTCOM Youths, Ex Agitators and UPU youth wing, to reject the endorsement, describing Moses Taiga-led UPU executive as “selfish and greedy persons”.
Omomedia said: “We wish to alert all Deltans that the endorsement did not reflect the interest of the entire Urhobo people but that of a few self-serving individuals, who are on a wild goose chase. We condemn in its entirety Moses Taiga actions, which will never stand and is dead on arrival. Delta should know that governorship election is the job of all Deltans, not for few or one ethnic group, or individuals like Moses Taiga to decide.
“The UPU is a socio-cultural organisation of all Urhobo people worldwide, we cannot leave it to the hand of Moses Taiga to drag the Urhobo nation in the mud. The agenda they are pushing is aimed at destroying the Urhobo nation politically and we, the youths, will not accept such a dance of shame from our so-called fathers.
“One expected that the UPU as the Umbrella body of all Urhobo must stand to be neutral to all her sons, provided the governorship position, come 2023, is rotated to Delta Central Urhobo.”
The coalition stressed that the UPU is not a political party and should not interfere in the internal affairs of the PDP. They, therefore, urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to disregard the endorsement by the Taiga-led UPU.
