Delta State Nigeria 2015 Guber: Urhobo Leaders Decide
Delta State Nigeria 2015 Guber: Urhobo Leaders Decide
Posted on 02nd Apr 2014 Delta Central.
Last Sunday, President Generals drawn from about 20 Urhobo kingdoms of the 24 met and decided that the next Delta state governor must be Urhobo. The Urhobo Times authoritative gathered that when the motion was presented to the house, it was opposed by only one person, who later agreed to whatever decision the majority will take.
Last Sunday, President Generals drawn from about 20 Urhobo kingdoms of the
24 met and decided that the next Delta state governor must be Urhobo.
The Urhobo Times authoritative gathered that when the motion was
presented to the house, it was opposed by only one person, who later
agreed to whatever decision the majority will take.
Following this decision, the President Generals decided to consult with
all the traditional rulers in Urhoboland to brief them on how and why
they came about this decision and sought their support during the Urhobo
Stakeholders meeting scheduled for Friday when a motion to that effect
will be presented.
However, investigation carried out by the Urhobo Times point to a major
opposition to the President Generals' position, particularly among
politicians who are mobilizing their supporters to the Friday's meeting.
Some politicians who were spoken to oppose to the President Generals
position, saying, "are they politicians? They should not dabble into
politics. We do not think this is the best way of protecting Urhobo
interest".
Barr P.O Wanogho in his reaction described such a move as very
dangerous, intellectually barren and unprecedented decision, saying that
it amounts to infringement of individual voting rights.
"The Urhobo electorates are free to vote for anybody, whether the person
is Urhobo or non-Urhobo provided the person is qualified to be the
Governor of Delta State".
"But more dangerous is that Urhobo will be sowing a seed of discord,
tribalism and ethnic sentiment that will bring an ill wind that will do
the Urhobo Nation no good.
The Urhobo Nation conceded is the largest group in Delta but not up to
half of the entire Delta. What if all other ethnic groups in Delta gang
up that they should not vote for any Urhobo candidate?
So it is an ill wind that will plant a permanent seed of discord in the
various ethnic groups that make up Delta State.
"It is agreed that Urhobo has Eight LGAs in the State but how many LGAs
are in Delta State, 25.
"So in terms of LGA, Urhobo is not up to one third of the total LGAs
that make up Delta State. Then constitutionally if other ethnic groups
decide not to vote for Urhobo candidate, can Urhobo go it alone and win
an election?
The answer is no because if there are more than one candidate or even if
there is only one candidate, that candidate must score at least one
quarter of the total vote cast in at least each of the two third of the
LGAs that make up Delta State.
For an Urhobo person to win an election we need the vote of at least one
quarter of at least seventeen LGAs in the State.
So Urhobo cannot go it alone. This decision if taken will amount to
digging trenches. Enough of digging of trenches in Urhobo land. We
should learn to build bridges by extending hands of fellowship to all
other ethnic groups in Delta State.
"Urhobo should learn how to romance themselves into the minds of other
ethnic groups in the State because Urhobo cannot win Governorship
election without the votes of other groups.
So taking such decision will place Urhobo candidate in a more dangerous
and disadvantageous position if all other ethnic groups gang up against
Urhobo.
Also recent, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM, Orhue 1,said that he does
not care where the next governor of Delta state will come from.
"I don't care if Itsekiri, for instance, is there today and another
Itsekiri comes tomorrow, if he is carrying everybody along and doing the
right thing, who cares?
"Nobody cares where the person comes from. In America, when the Senior
Bush left, two tenures later the son came. Who cares, so long the people
are equally treated, who cares? Me, I don't care. What is my business
if my son is there and is not going to treat me well and carry everybody
along, if somebody else can do what I want, that is my person. Treat
everybody fairly and not a winner takes all." He said.
He made the remark when Hon Ndudi Elumelu, a governorship aspirant from
Delta North, paid him a courtesy visit at his palace in Orerokpe
recently where he expressed displeasure over the state of the Urhobo
nation, saying that the Urhobo people are bitter for being marginalised
over the years by the government.
"I want you to know that my people, the Urhobo people are bitter. My
people are not happy with the system.
"The Urhobo nation which is the fifth largest ethnic nationality in the
country is being marginalised and therefore not happy.
"Now, why do you support people? You support people so that they too can
support you." He stated.
Drawing the attention of the politician to the composition of the
confab, the Monarch frowned over the number of delegates from a
population of about two million people, when those that are not up to
Urhobo have four or more persons as delegates.
"We are not happy because it's as if we are not part of this country.
Our resources have been keeping this country going. That is why we are
not happy.
"Go and tell them that Urhobo nation is not happy. When you get to the
appropriate quarter, tell them that we are not happy, we are bitter.
Tell them." Orodje stated.
Appreciating Elumelu for the visit, the Monarch noted that he would want
to know his (Elumelu) running mate and who to be the secretary to the
state, if he eventually wins the race in 2015.
"I want to know who will be your running mate and the secretary to the
state before I can take any decision.
"Go home and think about it. We will pray, but I want to say that it is
only God that determines who to be a leader.
"We can only pray that the best person should emerge. We want peace
because where there is no peace, there can not be development.
"We want justice and equity. We don't want a situation where the winner
takes all. We want somebody who will treat everybody equal." He stated.
The Monarch noted that the idea of the winner takes all has greatly
encouraged unhealthy rivalry, whereby everybody is fighting for his or
her own person to be there.
"They assume that if your person is there, he will take care of you and
himself, but that is not the best. Once you are there you are there for
everybody and not for you and your family alone".
Also recently, a human rights activists and social critic, Chief Bobson
Gbinije said in his write up on "Delta 2015: Power shift or credible
leadership" that the Urhobo ethnic group in terms of demographic data
constitutes about 51.4 percent of the state. Indeed, they enjoy
numerical superiority over all the ethnic groups in the state and they
have had two democratically elected governors ever since the creation of
the state- Chief Felix Ibru and Chief James Onanafe Ibori and they are
clamouring for an Urhobo Governor in 2015.
The question arises, for how long will the Urhobo ethnic group continue
to hold on to the governorship position in Delta state? Is the
governorship position the exclusive preserve and birth right of the
Urhobo people? Will other ethnic groups, exclusive of the Itsekeris
continue to be political underdogs in Delta state because the Urhobos
are in vast majority? Will there be peace, progress and tranquility
under such a system. The answer, without slips of prolixity is a
resounding and outright NO.
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