Delta 2023: Coalition of Urhobo Youths disassociate self from UPU endorsement of Edevdie, urges UPU to rescind the decision

By Ovasa Ogaga,

A coalition of Urhobo Youths Comprising of various youths groups in Delta central have disassociated themselves from the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU endorsement of Olorogun David Edevbie as Urhobo preferred and sole PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.

The groups which included Urhobo Youth Leaders Association (UYLA), Urhobo Youth Council (UYC), Urhobo National Youth Movement (UNYM) HOSTCOM Youths, Ex Agitators and UPU Youth Wing, in an emergency meeting held at Otor-Udu Headquarters of Udu Local Government Area, berated the leadership of UPU for scoring an own goal.

The Coalition in a communique jointly signed by the Chairman of the groups, Hon Isaac Omomedia; Olorogun Vincent Oyibode, Coordinator, Coalition of Urhobo Youths, Chief Samuel Oghotomo representing Urhobo Youth Leaders Association and Comrade Engho Godspower representing Urhobo Youth Council at Otor-Udu, Udu local government area, they strongly condemned the actions of UPU noting that it has dragged the Urhobo image in the mud.

The Communique reads, “Ordinary, we wouldn’t have bothered ourselves to respond to this set of selfish persons who claimed to have endorsed an aspirant against others which is any way ridiculously and laughable.

“The UPU is a socio-cultural organization of all Urhobo people worldwide, we cannot leave it to the hand of Moses Taiga to drag the Urhobo nation to the mud.

“The agenda they are pushing is aimed at destroying the Urhobo nation politically and we the youths will not accept such a dance of shame from our fathers.

“One expected that the UPU as the Umbrella body of all Urhobo must stand to be neutral to all her son provided the Governorship position come 2023 is rotated to Delta Central Urhobos.

“The action of the Moses Taiga is a pointer to destructive manipulation of Urhobo people since UPU is not a pan Delta group but for all Urhobo people irrespective of political party affiliation.

“One did not expect UPU to dabble into the internal affairs of any political party. This is one misstep too many and we cannot fold our arms to allow a self-serving gang of compromised, ineffective and irresponsible bodies of politicians to drag the revered UPU down the mud of political idiocy and unpardonable infamy.

“We the youths would therefore want to appeal to all Deltans that what Moses Taiga and his co-travellers did, does not have the blessing of the Urhobo Youths and other meaning Urhobo Sons and Daughters.

“We believe in One Delta State as such all ethnic Nationality in the state will jointly select and elect an Urhobo son who is detribalized but a product of the political consensus and stand of all Deltans.

“Let us repeat for the umpteenth time that UPU is not a political party, as such we wonder why they are trying to interfere in the internal affairs of the PDP.

“Since the said endorsement hit the media space, we have been inundated with calls as many expressed concern over plans by Moses Taiga and his choice candidate who both are based in Lagos and London that when they succeed in their infamous, unpopular, disgraceful plot of entering government house through the backdoor, of which God will not allow happening. Deltans be wise.

“We, therefore, alert all Deltans that the endorsement did not reflect the interest of the entire Urhobo people but that of a few self-serving individuals who are on a wild goose chase.

“We condemn in its entirety Moses Taiga actions which will never stand and is dead on arrival. Delta should know that the Governorship election is the job of all Deltans, Not for a few or one ethnic group, or individuals like Moses Taiga to decide.

“We shall stand to resist this dubious political concoction in all ramifications. We shall make the Urhobo ungovernable for Taiga, or better still he should resign. Recall that UPU endorsed this same David Edevwie in 2014, if not that His Excellency Senator Dr Arthur Okowa has a heart big enough to run an all-inclusive government, the Urhobo could have been disadvantaged and totally shut out of the present administration.

“These actions of the UPU is nothing but gambling with the destiny of the youths and this partisan tendency of the UPU must stop now.

“We call on His Excellency to disregard the Taiga Moses irresponsible and selfish endorsement, as your sobriquet, Ekwueme the talk Na do and we strongly believe that as you had promised the PDP your party free and fair primary, we are strongly behind you in the conduct of visibly transparent elections for the party candidate to emerge, we call on all delegates to open their eyes.”