UPU Dissolves Omene Led Exco, Constitutes Interim Caretaker Committee …I am Still In Charge – Omene

By Francis Sadhere

The Urhobo Progress Union, the apex social cultural body of the Urhobo nation rising from it’s 2015 Annual Congress, has dissolved the current UPU executive led Chief Joe Omene and that of the factional UPU executive led by Chief Tuesday Onoge.

The disillusion of the UPU executive was contained in a communique made available to our correspondent and signed by the Council of Urhobo Traditional Rulers, Forum of President Generals, Women Wing, Youth Wing, 20 delegates from each of the kingdoms, four representatives of UPU, Lagos Branch and two representatives of UPU, Port Harcourt branch.

The Congress therefore resolved to set up an interim Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the UPU until December 2016 Annual Congress.

The dissolution is coming at a time when faction led by Chief Joe Omene was holding its 84th Annual National Congress& Awards of Honours/ Carnival 2015 at the Urhobo House in Uwiamuge, Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta.

The Caretaker Committee is listed as follows; Chief Gabriel Ofotoku (President), Chief Mike Imiruaye, (Vice President), Chief Godwin Notoma (Secretary), Mr. Paul Agbroko (Assistant Secretary) Chief David  Ohwokevwo (Financial Secretary), Chief Ntekume Josiah (PRO), and Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Odjugo (Treasurer).

According to the communique, after careful deliberation, the congress has resolved to  a pass vote of no confidence on the present UPU executive led by Chief Joe Omene and the factional executive led by Chief Tuesday Onoge.

The 2015 UPU Annual Congress was held at the palace of the Owhorode of Olomu Kingdom, Chairman of Ukokorivie of Urhobo Traditional Rulers in Ughelli South Local Government  Area of Delta State.

The communique further stated that Congress decided to dissolve the present executive and the factional executive because of the disunity and factionalization of the National Exco of the UPU.

It added that accusations and counter accusations of financial impropriety and massive corruption among the members of the National Executive themselves and unilateral decision making without recourse to the Urhobo Nation, such as the unilateral cancellation of the earlier scheduled UPU 2015 Annual Congress, were inimical to the actualisation of the UPU and the development of the Urhobo Nation.

Meanwhile, Chief Joe Omene in a swift reaction rejected the dissolution just as he called the sponsors “mischief makers” and accused some of the traditional rulers of allegedly belonging to secret cults.

He said: “They are not part of UPU. They are not part of the structure of UPU. The structure of UPU  comprises the Executives, the Council of Reps and the Board of Trustees and the Branches.”

As at press time, attempts to reach Chief Tuesday Onoge was unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls put across to his mobile phone line.