By Tejiri Ebikeme
National Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC), Mr. Zik Gbemre has called on the National leadership of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), the apex socio-cultural body of the Urhobo people in Delta State, to support the gubernatorial aspiration of Chief Great Ogboru of the Labour Party (LP).
In a letter written to the Acting UPU President General, Chief Joseph Omene and made available to National Reformer Newspaper, Gbemre said that Ogboru was considered as the only Urhobo man that has the capacity, wherewithal, dexterity, clout and grassroots influence to win the Governorship seat and actualize the Uvwiamuge Declaration for the Urhobo Nation.
According to Gbemre: “The APC has been known to be ganging up against the Presidency, and for this the Presidency does not want to have anything to do with the APC candidate. This automatically puts Chief O’tega Emerhor of the APC in the bad books of the Presidency. The Presidency does not want to hear anything about the APC. This makes Emerhor a Governorship candidate that we cannot project.”
He therefore, advised Olorogun Emerhor to pipe-low for Ogboru, so that all arsenals would be put in place to ensure that Chief Great Ogboru became the next Governor of Delta State in 2015.
“Hence, like I said before, there is no point for the Urhobos to waste their time and resources to support him. If we do not want to lose out again in Delta State governorship tussle, then there is need to apply wisdom in all we do. Mind you, I do not have anything against Emerhor. I am not a politician and I do not belong to the Labour Party or any political party or political interests for that matter. I am simply writing this and making these suggestions as a patriotic Urhobo that wants to see the Uvwiamuge Declaration actualized,” Gbemre added.
Gbemre also noted that despite the support given to David Edevbie during the PDP primary, Edevbie lost out, saying that “rumours had it that one of the reasons why the Ijaws worked against Edevbie was that he (Edevbie), was one time used by James Ibori to work against President Jonathan during the Yar’Adua administration when Edevbie was the Principle Secretary (also known as Chief of Staff).”
“It is for these reasons that I strongly advised again that we all should throw our weight on Chief Great Ogboru to ensure his success. Like I said before, you should rally the Urhobo Nation to negotiate with President Goodluck Jonathan and state that after Ogboru wins the Delta State Gubernatorial election under the Labour Party, he and his structures will then declare for the PDP membership. And for Jonathan’s Presidency, the Urhobo Nation will support him and ensure that he is voted back to Aso Rock. The Urhobo Nation should also negotiate with our Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri brothers to equally throw their weight and support on Ogboru’s success.
“Letting them know that Ogboru will form a government of National unity within the state. And after his time in office, Ogboru will handover power to the Delta South.
“To this end, we have advised that you call and have meetings with all the President Generals (PGs), Ototas, Ivies (Kings), Traditional Rulers and the Urhobo Youths to galvanise their support for Ogboru success as the next governor of Delta State.
“Ogboru is one who we believe has sympathy and empathy for other ethnic groups outside the Urhobo Nation, and runs through the Three Senatorial Districts. The fact is that Ogboru is more a projectable governorship candidate for the Urhobo Nation to support than Emerhor. And you would agree with me that it is important for the Urhobo Nation to get the support of the Presidency so that the support will flow from top to bottom,” wrote Gbemre to UPU.
