Urhobos in Delta south have the same political rights as other tribes -Group

…Says it’s mischievous to say Delta South is made up of Ijaws, Isoko and Itsekiri

Urhobos of Agbarha, Okere- Urhobo Kingdoms of Warri, Warri South and Patani Local Government Areas in Delta South Senatorial District have said they are entitled to all rights and privileges accruing to indigenes of the Senatorial District including appointment into the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC.

In statement signed Mudiaga Ejaife, Ufuoma Ukpebitere, Faith Isiavwe, Orode Emuveyan, Grace Owhofa and John Orefe for and on behalf of APC members and indigenes of Okere Urhobo kingdom and Agbarha kingdom in Warri south local area of delta south senatorial district they frowned at the publication which they say is capable of creating crisis.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a sponsored publication at page 38 of yesterday’s Vanguard (August 21, 2019) with the title “NEED TO APPOINT NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR OF NDDC FROM DELTA SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT”. Interestingly, the publication was at the instance of an amorphous group that bears two confusing names of “APC Delta South Common Cause” and “APC Delta South Common Cause of Concerned Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri”.

By the content of the publication, this non-existent group clearly came out solely to create the false impression that there are only three indigenous ethnic groups of Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri in Delta South Senatorial District. Nothing can be further from the truth.

The irrefutable truth is that Delta South is made up of four indigenous ethnic nationalities, and they are: Ijaw Isoko, Itsekiri and Urhobo. Delta South Senatorial District has Urhobo Indigenes in Okere-Urhobo Kingdom and Agbarha Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area, as well as in Patani Local Government Area.

Urhobo Indigenes in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta South have two recognised Traditional Rulers of Agbarha Kingdom and Okere-Urhobo Kingdom, who both have equal traditional rights and privileges with their counterparts of Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri in Delta South Senatorial District.

In terms of delineation of electoral Wards by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Warri South Local Government Area, Urhobo Indigenes have six (6) of the twelves (12) Wards in Warri South Local Government Area.

Indeed, Delta South Senatorial District belongs to all of us – Ijaws, Isokos, Itsekiris and the Urhobo Indigenes of Warri South and Patani Local Government Areas.

We note that when Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (an Itsikiri) was Governor of Delta State, he nominated Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli (an Itsekiri) as Executive Director, Projects in the NDDC and Mr. Valentine Areyinka (an Itsekiri) as Delta State Representative in the NDDC, and there were no protests.

The bottomline is that the Urhobo Indegenes of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom and Agbarha Warri Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area as well as Urhobo Indigenes of Patani are as entitled to any federal appointment as their brothers and sisters of the other three indigenous ethnic nationalities of Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri in Delta South. Any propaganda to the contrary is false and mischievous.

The publication by the non-existent group is a very dangerous, divisive, mischievous, false and self-serving piece of political propaganda designed to mislead the public about the indisputable place of the Urhobo Indigenes of Warri South and Patani Local Government Areas of Delta South Senatorial District.

Clearly, Urhobo Indigenes in both Warri South and Patani Local Government Areas are part of Delta South Senatorial District and are entitled to all rights and privileges accruing to indigenes of the Senatorial District, including appointment into the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).