By Our Correspondent
As the race for who becomes the next governor of Delta State thickens, the umbrella body of Urhobo nation, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has accepted the gubernatorial bid of Dr. (Mrs.) Esther Uduehi.
The Acting President General of UPU Chief J.O. Omene (JP) stated this on Thursday 23 October, 2014, while receiving the Chairman of the governing board of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non Formal Education, Dr. Uduehi at his country home in Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area.
According to him “we here in UPU cannot anoint or endorse any candidate, however we know those we can accept and those we cannot accept. We can accept our own children and you are one of our own children. If UPU is insisting that the next governor of Delta State must come from Delta Central, are you not from Delta Central? Is your mother not from Orogun? Can we now say she is no more our daughter because she got married to a man from Ukwuani Local Government Area? No. She is still our daughter and if your mother is our daughter what are you? I do not think you have any problem in your quest to becoming governor because if UPU says you are our daughter, you are.”
Continuing he said “believe it when I tell you, you have no problem. We are one and there is no denying the fact that you have Urhobo blood flowing in your veins. It is our prayer therefore that God grants you your heart desire, and when you get to where God has prepared for you, always remember the Urhobo Nation.”
Earlier in her address, Dr. (Mrs.) Esther Uduehi, who came with a high powered delegation of chiefs from the various wards in Ukwuani Local Government Area, for the consultative visit with the leadership of the UPU, described her visit as homecoming. In her words “For those of you who do not know, my mother is from Orogun in Delta Central, which makes me your daughter – an Urhobo woman. If UPU supports me to become the next governor they can be rest assured that they will be supporting someone who is capable, competent and will deliver. I am not running for governorship because it was zoned, but rather because I believe I am qualified, experienced, have the stamina, have been exposed, capable, have been tested, proven and can be trusted. Furthermore, I want to govern for the common good.”
She stated that her focus if elected governor of Delta State will be “to appoint an economic council that has members drawn from every local government area in the state. We will sit down and brainstorm and the outcome of our brainstorming will decide our budget for each year. I will also encourage the local government councils to do same.”
Uduehi, who was the first female Sole Administrator of a Local Government Area, first female CEO of state owned companies as Permanent Secretary in Commerce and Industry, first female Special Adviser to the President, first female head of a State media house and first female Deputy Treasurer of a political party, appealed to the leadership of UPU to help her once again accomplish the feat of being the first woman in Nigeria to be elected a governor.
