Francis Sadhere

As the Urhobo nation, particularly Delta Central Senatorial district, continued to search for a credible candidate to replace the Late Senator Pius Ewherido, in the Senate, a former Governorship aspirant, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has said that the Urhobo nation needed quality leadership that can represent the interest of the Urhobo people at the national level.

From Right; Chief Cyril Ogodo, Chief Charles Obule, Dr. Lucky Otegheri, Chief Joe Omene, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, Olorogun Obu, during a consultative visit on Chief Obule in Sapele

Olorogun Emerhor of the All Progressives Congress stated this in Sapele during consultation visits to some political leaders in the area, calling for their support in his quest to occupy the vacant seat for Delta Central Senatorial slot in the Senate House.

Speaking at the house of Hon. Peter K. Ogbini, former member of the House of Assembly and two times Commissioner for Works in the former Bendel State, Olorogun Emerhor said that the late Senator Ewherido represented the Urhobo people as he was a voice that had always been direct and strict in championing the progress of Urhobo land.

He said; “The Urhobo nation is crying for leadership that can deliver progress and prosperity to the people, adding that for a long time now the Urhobo nation has been held down by strong forces that do not want the progress of the people.

Olorogun Emerhor blamed the high level of unemployment in the state, especially Urhobo land, on the neglect by the leadership who failed to create the enabling environment for people to be gainfully employed.

“We had the AT&P in Sapele when I was growing up and that was the major employment center in the whole state. Now the place is no longer functioning. Of course the Sapele Port was built here because it was supposed to bring commercial activities to this town but now these things are no longer there. And this is why we have a lot of poverty and unemployment across the land,” he added.

While lamenting that the Urhobo nation was being relegated to the background despite its huge contributions to the Nigerian nation, Olorogun Emerho promised to fight to reverse this position and ensure regulation for the Urhobo nation when he becomes senator representing Delta Central.

He further said that; “At Uvwiamughe-Agbarho when Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) honoured Late Senator Ewherido, the specification of the type of people who will represent the Urhobos were clearly given and identified. The time has come for true sons of Urhobo who have the interest of Urhobo at heart and who want to fight for the interest of Urhobo and allow this nation to claim its proper place in the history of this nation to take up the mantle of leadership.”

He assured his teeming supporters that; “We are going to pull this through and by God’s grace I will be the voice of the Urhobos in Abuja. And when I do get there, the interest of the Urhobo people will be in my heart. We will fight to ensure that government does what it is meant to do. Government is meant to create the enabling environment for development. Government is meant to bring development to the people. Government is not meant to punish people.”

Earlier, Hon. Ogbini had said that when he heard the news of Olorogun Emerhor’s ambition of becoming the senator to represent the Urhobo nation, he concluded that finally the Urhobo nation will now have a very articulate person that will solve their problems.

At the end of the visit, Hon. Ogbini prayed for Olorogun Emerhor to have success in his ambition, assuring him that he will support him to the end.

Others visited during the consultation were; Chief Cyril Ogodo, Chief Napoleon Okobia, Chief Charles Obule, Chief Tom Anirah, Chief (Mrs.) Margaret Unukegwo, Chief Gabriel Ofotokun (JP) and Barrister Sunny Owede.