– Says Urhobos can’t be governor in Delta till Delta South, North Produce two governors each
– Ijaw 3 indigenous LGAs In Delta are equivalent of 6 Urhobo LGAs
There has been an outrage in Delta state, especially from the Ijaws following an alleged misguided and misleading comment attributed to Chief Joe Omene, the factional president of the Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU.
Chief Omene had described Ijaws as ‘abusers of power’, while insisting they have no moral justification to contest the 2023 governorship elections in the state.
Gunmen Kidnap Passengers Of Agofure Bus, Private Vehicles in Delta
Below is a press statement by the President of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), faulting the comments by Joe Omene, while highlighting the strength of the Ijaws in Delta politics.
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Our attention has been drawn to a misguided, malicious, derogatory and mischievous statement accredited to one confused imbecilic prodigal son and inconsequential factional president of Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, stating disdainfully that Ijaw does not have the moral justification to contest 2023 governorship election in Delta state.
IPDI wish to state unequivocally that Omene and his co-travellers are infinitesimal and abysmally inconsequential to dictate who should be Delta next governor in 2023. It should be equally noted that Urhobo do not have any exclusive governorship right in Delta.
Besides, Urhobo strong opposition against Delta south governorship, could not stop Emmanuel Uduaghan from becoming governor in Delta state in 2007. Again, Urhobo strong opposition against Delta North governorship did not stop Ifeanyi Okowa from becoming governor in Delta state in 2015.
We want to make it explicitly clear that until Delta South and Delta North produce two governors each in Delta state, Urhobo can’t be governor in Delta state, having produced two governors consecutively in Delta state, in the persons of Olorogun Felix Ibru, and Jamed Onanife Ibori.
The imbecilic mountebank, mentally deranged and psychiatric charlatan Omene erroneously mail-mouth that Ijaws are a minority in Delta State, a supposed role model displaying crass ignorance, ineptitude and political emptiness in Delta politics.
For record purposes, Ijaws are supposed to be rated the largest ethnic nationality in Delta State if not that people at the upland manipulated Ijaws in the state. Urhobo is not more populated than Ijaws in Delta state if not that we are balkanized in the state.
It should be noted that population of an ethnic nationality is not measured by number of LGAs owned by an ethnic group. Urhobo is only privileged to have gotten more LGAs, while often times Ijaw interest is always being short-changed by the upland. What is happening now is another classical example.
It is pertinent for us to take a look at some past political analysis of Delta state elections. In 2011, Delta central rejected PDP, and massively voted DPP. PDP won only one LGA out of 8 LGAs in Delta central. But despite their rejection PDP, won the governorship election without Delta central votes. Below are the results declared by INEC in 2011.
1.Udu LGA . PDP 6,717, DPP 32,824
2. Ughelli north PDP 9,231, DPP 48,898
3. Ughelli South PDP 13,323, DPP 41,996
4.Uvwie LGA PDP 14,383, DPP 34,516
5.Okpe LGA PDP 6,825, DPP 17,016
6.Ethiop East PDP 5,307, DPP 54,611
7.Ethiop west PDP 46,939, DPP 6,466
8.Sapele LGA PDP 15,072, DPP 16,571.
This shows that Delta central can’t determine who becomes governor in Delta State come 2023. Their votes are infinitesimal to solely decide who becomes governor in Delta state.
If I may ask, if other senatorial districts had lost their votes to DPP then, would there be PDP today?
Moreover, the Ijaw voting strength in one Ijaw indigenous LGA is equivalent to two Urhobo LGAs in Delta.
Below are 2019 gubernatorial results.
1.Burutu LGA
APC – 3,645, PDP – 49,722
2. Bomadi
APC – 4,437P, PDP– 63,851
3. PataniA APC– 3,288P, PDP– 19,683
The total votes cast in the three Ijaw LGAs in 2019 Delta Guber election is One Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty six, (144626), more better than 5 Urhobo LGAs put together.
Below are the 5 Uhrobo LGAs which can’t be compared to the 3 Ijaw indigenous LGAs in Delta.
1. Uvwe
APC – 10,467P, PDP– 15,455
2. Udu
APC – 8,605P, PDP– 9,042
3. Okpe
APC – 9,424P, PDP– 20,415
4. Sapele
APC – 10,457P, PDP– 18,572
5. Ughelli North
APC – 22,081P, PDP– 19,045
Total votes of the above 5 Uhrobo LGAs in 2019 Delta State governorship election is One Hundred and Forty Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Three votes (143563). You can find out that the 3 Ijaw indigenous LGAs are far more populated than 5 Uhrobo LGAs. Uhrobo are only privileged to have more LGAs and that does not mean, they are more populated than the Ijaws.
While the three Ijaw/Itsekiris LGAs voting strength are two times populated than that of the remaining Three Urhobo LGAs.
The 3 Ijaw/Itsekiri LGAs.
1.) Warri South West
APC – 10,906P, PDP– 139,534
2.) Warri North LGA
APC – 11,116P, PDP– 44,713
3. Warri South
APC – 12,982 APC, PDP– 34,977
Total=254228
The remaiming Three Urhobo LGAs which are far below the 3Ijaw/Itsekiri LGAs
1. Ethiope East
APC 21,141, PDP 11,489
2. Ethiope west APC 6,211, PDP 62,044.
3. Ughelli South APC 20,233, PDP 32,086
Total=153204.
The three Ijaw/Itsekiri LGAs have a combined voting strength of 25,422,8, while the Ughelli South, Ethiope West, Ethiope East put together is 15,32,04 which is far below.
This depicts that Ijaw may have probably equal voting strength with the Urhobo if Ijaw votes from the other three Ijaw/Itsekiri LGAs are added
Therefore, the wavering statement made by the factional leadership of Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) is just a mere talk and bragging. Come 2023 Ijaws are ready for them.
The Urhobos do not have respect for the rotation. Ijaw always keep to the rotation agreement. It is a fact that Omene is known for unstable characters, there has not been any time, Urhobo didn’t say it is their time to rule Delta. We are not surprised. This has been a slogan for the Urhobo people. “It is our time to rule”
We have noticed that all times are Urhobo times to rule, a sign of unstable characters and a double stand. In 2007, they said it is Urhobo time, despite the governorship being zoned to Delta south and they massively participated at the PDP primaries.
In 2011, it was Urhobo time as well and they massively contested the governorship being Uduaghan second tenure. 2015, it was Urhobo time when it was zoned to Delta North, 2019 was also Urhobo time. Now 2023 again is still Urhobo time. Urhobo should tell Deltans when is exactly their time?
It is on record that Urhobo nation and its leadership do not have respect for the rotation they are clamoring today and they can not hide under it to ferment trouble. In 2007, despite it was delta south turn to produced governor, Urhobo protested against it and massively contested in the PDP primary and they failed, and they ran and hid under Great Ogboru in DPP.
The same thing in 2011, 2015 and 2019. They appear to be un-serious people. The public should not take them serious. It is Delta South turn, the reversed order be followed to rotate power in Delta state this time around. The rotation agreement has ended by Delta North producing Senator Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa as governor. Let’s begin the rotation with the reversed order.
On Ijaws Shortchanging Itsekiris
It is disappointing that Omene happened to be a poor student of history. It is the Itsekiris that are shortchanging Ijaws, and not the Ijaws as disdainfully adduced by divisive Omene. Omene goofed when he said Ijaws refused to release power to Itsekiris and Isoko. This is a pure fallacy, Isoko produced Stella Omu as first senator in Delta south in 1999.
The Itsekiris were governor for 8years from Delta South. The Itsekiris have rule the Warri North and Warri South LGAs since creation. The Itsekiris occupied the Delta State Assembly seat for Warri South-west LGA until 2019.
The Delta State House of Assembly seats for the Three Warri LGAs are ruled by the Itsekiris since inception. The House of Representatives seat for the three Warri LGAs is occupied by the Itsekiris since creation. Omene should be properly educated, maybe he is suffering from dementia.
For the records, the Urhobos have produced two governors, Felix Ibru and Onanife Ibori which was confirmed by Omene in his concocted publication. The Urhobos do not have the moral justification to be governor in Delta State, till Delta South and Delta North produce two governors each.
The Ijaws are most generous people and do not abuse power like Omene and Urhobos. Omene is known for being desperate for power, he does not have the moral ground to falsely accuse Ijaws of abusing power. Omene who is out of greed and desperation, dividing Urhobo nation is not qualified to hold briefs on behalf of Urhobo people.
Delta Central and the APC Factor
We advice Omene to only speak for himself because, what he is saying does not represents the majority interest of Urhobo nation. Ijaw will be the next governor of Delta state. Urhobo can’t stop Ijaw from contesting. The Delta central is more of APC, let them go and produce governor with APC. Ijaws who brought PDP to Delta state and single handedly made Urhobo son first democratic governor of the state should be accorded with some respects.
By Comrade Ozobo Austin
National president Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI
