By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe
#eachovdelta
Chairman and leaders of Delta Central Senatorial District of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the endorsement of a governorship aspirant, Olorogun David Edevbie as a nullity and urged Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, to immediately walk back the endorsement to save the Union of foreseeable embarrassment.
A statement signed by the Senatorial District Chairman, Chief Patrick Fovie and 30 others, said the endorsement of Edevbie was unsolicited, amounts to direct interference and usurping of the party’s functions in the ongoing electioneering processes leading to party primaries.
“It has come to our notice that the leadership of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, on Sunday 17th April, 2022 via a press statement announced the endorsement of a governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olorogun David Edevbie as the Union’s preferred aspirant and in the same token urged our party delegates to vote enmass for him.
‘UPU efforts in the affairs of Urhobo nation of Delta Central Senatorial District will always be appreciated if and only such efforts or interests are not in conflict with the duties and regulations of our party, PDP and its organs.
“And in the instant case, we found out that the purported endorsement of our party member who is a governorship aspirant usurped the functions of our party in the ongoing electioneering processes leading to party primaries.
“This obvious external interference by UPU and her leadership occasioned by the said endorsement of a PDP governorship aspirant in Delta State cannot in any way be condoned, hence this subtle appeal to the leadership of this great sociocultural organization to immediately repudiate and/or nullify the endorsement via another press statement, please.
“We recall that similar endorsement scenario played out in 2014/2015 wherein UPU came up with “Urhobo Governor Agenda” and this singular act not only caused acute internal crisis in our great party but also created factions in UPU with two President Generals giving orders and counter orders.
“The grave incursion of UPU in active politics via Urhobo Governor Agenda fractured the sensibility of our amiable governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa who greatly suffered the negative consequences of the union’s ethnic political activities in 2014/2015.
“However, we were able to overcome the storm within a short period of time in our party but unfortunately Urhobo Union suffered a great deal which led to series of legal actions. This kind of unpleasant situation must be avoided, hence it is very necessary for UPU to stay away from the internal affairs of PDP and partisan politics generally.
“We wish to also state unequivocally that if not for the magnanimity of the governor and his Pan Delta posture, Urhobo nation would have afterwards felt the negative effects of UPU’s 2015 electioneering conspiracies against the birth of this administration. That is in the past now because governor Okowa has moved on and also took steps further to unite the people and PDP family for the common good and progress of all Deltans.
“It will do Urhobo nation more good than harm if UPU as the sociocultural umbrella of the good people of Delta Central Senatorial District strictly adhere to the Union’s constitutional provisions and play mere advisory roles to Urhobo political actors, and to some extent political parties whenever the need arises.
“UPU must of a necessity restrict itself to sociocultural activities as contained in its constitution and to generally avoid direct involvements in party politics and election matters. It is no longer expedient and acceptable for sociocultural organizations and town unions to as a group indulge in political party affairs or endorsements of governorship and other categories of aspirants.
“In the light of the above, we strongly appeal to the President General of UPU, Olorogun Moses Taiga and his entire Exco worldwide to immediately withdraw the purported endorsement of Olorogun David Edevbie as the Union’s preferred aspirant in line with the objects of UPU as a registered sociocultural organisation.
“Finally, we wish to also use this medium to appeal to UPU and all other ethnic or tribal unions, other than political pressure groups and individuals, to completely abstain from endorsing all categories of aspirants in our party, PDP, going forward,” the statement added.