… As Kokori lambasts UPU leaders
From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri
The emergence of President Good­luck Jonathan as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and General Moham­madu Buhari as candi­date of the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) has caused a division in the Urhobo nation in Delta State.
The Urhobo are divided over which of the two can­didates should get their support during the Febru­ary general elections.
This was just as elder statesman and former secretary general of Ni­geria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, has frowned at the alleged inconsistent attitude of the leadership of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) over the governor­ship position in the state, insisting that Urhobo must not be led astray.
Urhobo, according to him, must remain focused on who to support in both the presidential and gov­ernorship elections so if they must be relevant in the scheme of things.
Kokori, who is the co-coordinator and leader of Urhobo Leaders Integrity Group, made the obser­vation yesterday when he addressed newsmen on the worrisome political development in the state, stressing that the Urhobo would resist any attempt to impose retrogressive decision on the people.
“The Urhobo as at to­day are at a crossroad and any faulty move will per­petually put our people in jeopardy. Our worries too is that we are receiv­ing different signals from our great UPU on the way forward politically for our people” said the group leader.
On which of the two governorship candidates, Olorogun Otega Emer­hor and Chief Great Og­boru of the APC and La­bour Party respectively, should get the support of the Urhobo, Chief Ko­kori urged the UPU lead­ership to immediately implement the famous Uvwiamugie Declaration which favours Olorogun Emerhor, the APC flag bearer, or wait till after the presidential election to guarantee a fall-back position.
Meanwhile, the Delta Central (Urhobo) Elders Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, has accused the UPU leaders of violating the UPU constitution.
Chief Patrick Ideh, who spoke on behalf of the body, explained that both Emerhor and Buhari were exclusively entitled to Urhobo votes and sup­port, adding that both were qualified to emerge as governor and president respectively.
Ideh condemned the statement credited to the UPU leader, Chief Joe Omene, describing it as a breach and disgraceful betrayal of Urhobo moral standing as well as gross disrespect for the sanctity of Uvwiamuge Declara­tion.