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UVWIAMUGHE DECLARATION IS DEAD FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES – Dr. Emmanuel Ojameruaye



Happy New Year, I thank all for the efforts to actualize the Uvwiamughe Declaration which every patriotic Urhobo person should support. Although I am not "on the ground", from what I have been reading online and my discussion with friends who are on the ground, I think the Uvwiamughe Declaration is dead for all intents and purposes. Unfortunately, the very authors of the Declaration killed the Declaration by acts of commission and/or omission. In fact, the Declaration contained "killer or poisonous pills" that has led to its self-immolation. For one thing, the UPU leaders did not have a well-thought and coherent strategy to actualize the Declaration. The fact is that some of the leaders are hamstrung by party loyalty (most are mainly PDP members) and their business connections/personal interests (most are PDP-govt contractors).

For instance, I was shocked to read "Long live Gov. Uduaghan" in the communique issued by UPU after they elected Edevbie as the "Urhobo candidate" for the PDP primaries. Such as gesture flies in the face of the Declaration which indirectly accused  the governor of not only opposing an Urhobo candidate but of attempting to "coronate" an Anioma, Mbuh, to replace him. In fact, all along, the PDP hierarchy, including some prominent Urhobos in the PDP, had insisted on "rotation" of the Governorship position to Anioma. The PDP leaders did not get the buy-in of all Urhobo people, including some of the PDP "leaders" before adopting the Declaration which some observers said was "stillborn" or "dead on arrival". 

I was also shocked that the Ag. UPU President-General went to Abuja recently to declare "Urhobo" support for President Jonathan's re-election, an action which will place Urhobo in an untenable/precarious position in the event that APC/Buhari wins the Presidency - not an impossibility! No leader of any other ethnic nationality organization (Arewa, Afenifere, Ndigbo,etc) has taken it upon himself to commit this type of blunder.

Frankly, I think the current UPU leadership is no longer interested in actualizing the Declaration. They are now prefer to support Sen. Okowa with the hope of getting "something" from him individually. I do not think they have the courage to support any other the candidate of any other party, including Ogboru. I do not think we should negotiate with President Jonathan to work against his party's candidate (Okowa) with hope that Ogboru will defect to PDP after winning. It will look like crass politics. Besides, Jonathan knows that he will get Urhobo votes either by "hook or crook", including rigging even if he does not support Ogboru. Moreover, the Ijaws seem to support Okowa since he will pick (has picked??) an Ijaw person as his deputy - based on his deal with Tompolo - and this will pave the way for an Ijaw person to be the next governor after Okowa, either by "default" or through the next election.

I know that APC is not strong in Delta State, but it is stronger than the Labour party at the national level. I also know that Emerhor is not as popular as Ogboru in Urhoboland (and indeed in the State). Therefore, I will suggest that UPU leaders should keep all options on the table if they are serious about the Declaration. Two of the options are:

a). Take no action now. Wait until after the result of the Presidential election on Feb. 14. If APC wins, take the bandwagon and support Emerhor and APC candidates in the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections on Feb. 28. If PDP wins, forget about the Declaration, support Okowa, and negotiate for allocation of ministerial and other important political positions for qualified Urhobo persons - we wait to fight another day, in four years' time!

b) Take the bull by the horns and support APC/Emerhor and negotiate with Isoko and Itsekiris to also support APC, and be prepared to act as a credible opposition party in the event that PDP wins at both the national and state levels. Such a support could tip the balance in favour of APC. 

Of course, other options/scenarios are possible. The UPU leaders need to be more strategic in their thinking by examining the SWOT of the various options based on Urhobo interest rather than parochial, selfish and party interests.

Best regards,
Dr. Emmanuel Ojameruaye
Phoenix, Arozona, USA

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