Day Urhobo leaders, youths aligned political focus

AS the general elections draw near, ethnic groups in country are making their voices heard and stating clearly where they stand especially in the presidential and governorship elections. 

  Thus, the Urhobo, the largest ethnic group in Delta State and the fifth in Nigeria, with immense oil and gas resources, are seizing the charged political space to declare their roles in Nigeria and canvas for candidates of their choice.

  The atmosphere, to say the least, was electric the other day when Urhobo leaders, women and youths assembled at the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State, to reassess their political direction amid decision to throw their weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. 

  The venue was literally overwhelmed by thousands of indigenes from the 24 kingdoms of the Urhobo nation.

  The rally, organised by the Urhobo Youth Leaders Association and sponsored by Professor Godini G. Darah, the only delegate that represented the Urhobo ethnic nationality at the 2014 National Conference, lived up to its billing.

  Almost all the Urhobo PDP political leaders, flagbearers, government appointees and youth leaders were in attendance. 

  The sheer number of Urhobo indigenes inside the venue was enough to overturn the alleged disunity within the Urhobo nation, as claimed by some people, who believe the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), the umbrella body of all Urhobo, is distracted by many voices.

  Among the high profile dignitaries were: Senator Nimi Barigha Amange; Special Guest of Honour, Senator Emmanuel Edesiri Aguariavwodo, and Steve Oru, the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs and chairman of the occasion. 

Others were Senator Okowa, Delta State PDP governorship candidate and his running mate, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro; Chief Judith Enamuotor, member, PDP Board of Trustees; Chief Mike Adiotomre, Father of the Day and Chairman, Governing Board of Nigerian Maritime Academy, Oron; and Chief Tom Amioku, Chairman, PDP, Delta Central and Delta State Commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). 

  There were Chief Ighoyota Amori, Delta Central PDP senatorial candidate; Chief Evelyn Oboro, member, House of Representatives; Comrade Reuben Izeze, PDP candidate, Ughelli South Constituency; and Hon. Solomon Ighrakpata, Delta State Commissioner for Housing. 

  However, as speaker after speaker mounted the podium to express their views, it was apparent that the Urhobo nation needed to address some issues threatening to rock the boat. 

  Dominating the discussion were issues such as fine-tuning the dissenting voices within the UPU, to make the union more powerful; giving the Urhobo its deserved national share; and most importantly, ending the “second-fiddle” role of the ethnic group in the politics of Delta State despite being the largest ethnic group in the state. 

Yet, the Urhobo were steadfast about their choice for president and governor of the state — President Jonathan and Dr. Okowa. 

  As the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Oru, observed at the rally, “the Urhobo are sending a strong signal of unity, support and affirmation that President Jonathan remains the best candidate to be president of Nigeria in view of his laudable performance.”

  Prof. Darah described the gathering of leaders and Urhobo youth associations and professional groups as a historic event. 

  The rally, he recapped, was pre-arranged “to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) for a second tenure in office.”

  He said the Urhobo, which exclusively occupies the Delta Central senatorial district with over one million registered voters, is the centre of political gravity in Delta State “and no government can perform well in Delta State without the support of the Urhobo people.”    

  He argued that the Nigerian economy had grown steadily under Jonathan and now the largest in Africa and the 26th in the world.   

  He said international investors and world leaders trusted President Jonathan and the PDP government, “which explains why many foreign investors are coming to Nigeria.”   

  Noting that the Jonathan administration has launched an industrial revolution programme and the implementation should benefit Urhobo area,

Darah said: “In 2011, the Urhobo electorate contributed over 850,000 votes to President Jonathan’s victory. 

  “This was one of the highest block votes recorded by the PDP in the country. In spite of this solid support, the Urhobo were not fairly compensated. The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) protested against the neglect and marginalisation. 

  “In 2013, Gen. Patrick Aziza, the then President General of UPU, led a delegation to meet President Jonathan in Abuja. He promised to remedy the situation and in 2014, Dr. Steve Oru was appointed Minister.

  “The outcome of the Delta State PDP primaries of December 8, 2014, was disappointing to the UPU. On December 30, President Jonathan received UPU delegation in audience at Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

  “The interactive session with the president was an honour extended to the Urhobo in recognition of their position in the country. 

  “Strategic decisions were taken at the meeting. Thenceforth, the UPU declared an unequivocal support for President Jonathan’s re-election. 

  “The UPU has affirmed that President Jonathan is a friend of the Urhobo, a great performer, and a patriotic leader of the Niger Delta and Nigeria.” 

  Prof. Darah said that President Jonathan deserves to be re-elected because “he has excellent records of performance.” 

  “He is the first minority politician from the Niger Delta to govern Nigeria. He has achieved more than any other regime in Nigeria since Nigeria’s independence in 1960,” he said. 

  He said the highlights of some sectors tell the story: “In roads and highways, over 25,000 km constructed/repaired, including the Effurun-Patani section of the East-West Highway. 

  “The fast pace of the project is due to the dedication of the new Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Steve Orise Oru, a proud patriot of Urhobo. He has been able to secure regular funding from the SURE-P budget.”

 Other government achievements listed include: 

• The Lagos-Calabar rail lines that will pass through Urhobo communities of Oghara, Sapele, Effurun, Okuokoko, Agbarho, Ughelli, Evwreni, and Ughwerun. 

• The Second Niger Bridge, in progress, which will benefit Delta State.

• Agriculture has yielded abundance, with 15 million farmers engaged. 

• Food import has been reduced by 50 per cent, and rice revolution in progress. 

• A Federal Cassava Processing Factory sited at Umiaghwa-Abraka kingdom of Urhobo. 

• The establishment of 12 universities. 

• Convocation of the 2014 National Conference, with 600 resolutions, including the creation of New Delta and Anioma States. 

  As is customary with Prof. Darah, he ended his speech by listing demands of the Urhobo people of Delta Central senatorial district from the Jonathan government. They include: 

• A Federal Buy-Back of Delta Steel Company, Ovwian-Aladja, to resume production. 

• Recall of retrenched staff, payment of benefits to retired staff, and to boost the economy of the state. 

• Completion of the Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Aladja railway line to start operations.

• Establishment of a Gas Industrial Complex near the Utorogu Gas Plant, to utilise Urhobo gas deposits and diversify the economy to multiple jobs, business, and prosperity. 

• The National Gas Master Plan should be implemented in Urhobo area. 

• Processed gas should be piped to homes like pipe-borne water for domestic and industrial use. This will raise the standard of living and make Urhobo and their neighbours enjoy the privileges of 21st Century life. • Implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference that are fundamental to Urhobo and the Niger Delta (a) creation of New Delta State and Anioma States (b) Increase in Derivation from 13% to 25% (c) State and Local Government/Community Police systems to combat crimes and insurgency.

• Build an International Airport at Osubi to serve as the western Niger Delta economic hub for the oil and gas industries. 

•

Provide special funding for the full development of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Effurun, the first of its kind in Africa.

• Recovery of the Sapele Port from the Navy, to resume operations as a commercial port on the deepest river in Africa, the River Ethiope. The economic fortunes of Sapele and environs will be boosted, as it was during the 1960s when Sapele was West Africa’s Timber City.

• Construction of Okwagbe Inland Waterways Port abandoned by the Federal Ministry of Transport.

  Prof. Darah said President Jonathan’s agriculture revolution had not benefited Urhobo communities, although there is the Cassava Processing plant at Umiaghwa-Abraka kingdom. 

  “For mass employment of the youths, graduates, and enterprise owners, President Jonathan should dedicate about N100 billion investment per year to the cultivation of rice, cassava, plantain, sweet potato, oil palm, raphia palm, fisheries and livestock in Urhobo area,” he said.
He called for the engagement of the United Nations to undertake a clean-up of the environment of Urhobo land polluted by oil companies.
 He also wants appointment of more Urhobo specialists into ministerial and other strategic establishments at the federal level. 

  Comrade Francis Arhiyor, president of the Urhobo Youth Leaders Association, sad his members had agreed to support President Jonathan and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in 2015 general elections, due to the track records of the PDP government at the federal and state levels. 

  “The PDP has delivered the dividends of democracy to all and sundry,” Arhiyor said. 

  “The Urhobo youth leaders will mobilise all Urhobo youths and their respective kingdoms to vote massively for Mr. President, being a worthy son of the Niger Delta.” 

  They also pledged to vote en-masse for Dr. Okowa.