Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri
Urhobo Media Group has cautioned a group that goes by the name Isoko South PDP Leaders & Stakeholders’ Forum against acts, utterances that are capable of unnecessarily heating up the polity and jeopardizing the harmonious co-existence between the Urhobos and Isoko people of the state.
This caution was contained in statement signed by Prince Daniel Ekiugbo and Com. Eseoghene Otite, President and Secretary respectively, Urhobo Media Group, the duo said that it has become pertinent for them to come publicly to caution against the backdrop of alleged actions by the Isoko groupa group that is allegedly capable of causing bad blood between Isoko and Urhobo people.
Urhobo Media Group in the statement recalled that the Isoko South PDP Leaders & Stakeholders’ Forum, at paragraph five (5) of their communiqué published in the Vanguard Newspaper of Friday, August 1, 2014 allegedly, “condemned in strong terms the purported endorsement of a guber aspirant, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege”.
The UMG says the alleged action of the Isoko South forum has the potential ability to violate the bilateral relations currently existing between the Isoko and Urhobo people, pointing out that such brazen confrontation could fuel ethnic disharmony, distrust and lead to political rivalry among the two neighbouring ethnic groups.
UMG in the statement maintained that although they would have overlooked the said publication, adding, “it was necessary to straighten the records and possibly inform Deltans that we will not keep mute and watch any persons or group of persons tarnish the image of our outstanding and high-profile aspirants in the build-up to the 2015 general elections, because any attack on Obaisi Omo-Agege or any other Urhobo aspirant for that matter would not be tolerated.”
While pointing out that the action amounts to an affront on the entire Urhobo people, the group described Obaisi Omo-Agege as a highly respected Urhobo son whose quest and aspiration to the office of Governor of Delta State come 2015 general elections, is a welcome development to all – “both Urhobos and other Deltans, as he not only have the capacity and experience to govern Delta State but equally commands support across the state.”
Furthermore, the UMG emphasized that any group of people have the constitutional right to endorse any aspirant of their choice, work and mobilize their supporters to cue behind and vote for such person at elections, stressing that “even at that, the group that is condemning the endorsement is only based in Isoko South Local Government Area and so, can only speak for their supporters in Isoko South and not the generality of the Isoko people who are very well spread within Isoko North and South Local Government Areas, respectively.”
