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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