….Fault Reports Excluding Urhobos From Senatorial District
Urhobos of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta South Senatorial District of Delta State have condemned and rejected attempts to exclude the Urhobo ethnic nationality as part of the senatorial district.
They maintained that Delta South Senatorial District is made up of four indigenous tribes – Isoko, Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo.
In a statement on Friday by Urhobo APC chieftains in Delta South, faulted the wrong narrative aimed at shortchanging Urhobos in Delta South in the ruling party at the federal.
The statement was signed by Hon. Gabriel Okandeji Anb. Obruche Obodo, Comrade Benjamin Eboh, Hon. Marcus Akuruli and Mr. Ejiro Odiete for Urhobo APC members in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The full statement is reproduced below:
August 11, 2023
PRESS STATEMENT
DELTA SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT IS MADE UP OF FOUR INDIGENOUS TRIBES NAMELY IJAW, ISOKO, ITSEKIRI AND URHOBO
Our attention has been drawn to very inaccurate and provocative statements from certain elements in Delta APC who have been posturing that Delta South Senatorial District is made up of only 3 (three) tribes namely Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri. Nothing can be further from the truth. This is criminal falsehood which is highly reprehensible. Delta South Senatorial District is made up of 4 (four) indigenous tribes namely Ijaw, Isoko, Itsekiri and Urhobo. It is insulting and indeed criminal for anybody in our party APC or elsewhere to state otherwise.
The Urhobos of Delta South Senatorial District occupy two legally recognized indigenous and independent kingdoms. These are the Okere Urhobo Kingdom of Warri South Local Government Area with their traditional ruler, the Orosuen of Okere Urhobo Kingdom and Agbarha Warri Kingdom of Warri South Local Government Area with their traditional ruler the Ovie of Agbarha Warri.
In addition, the two Urhobo Kingdoms in Warri have six Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) delineated wards in Warri South Local Government Area out of the total 12 INEC wards in Warri South Local Government Area. The indigenous Urhobos in the Okere Urhobo and Agbarha Warri Kingdoms with 6 INEC Wards in Warri South Local Government Area have the same rights, and privileges accruable to the Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri indigenes in the Delta South Senatorial District. The Urhobos in Delta South Senatorial District are equally entitled to political appointments due to the Senatorial District.
It is, therefore, misleading, mischievous and provocative for any persons to try to convey the impression that there are only three ethnic groups in Delta South Senatorial District.
We have also noticed statements by certain persons in the APC who are trying to equate what they call 3i’s association (made up of Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri) as equal and representative of the entire Delta South Senatorial District. This is outright falsehood and cannot be tolerated in a decent society. This posturing by these persons is misleading, mischievious and provocative with the sole aim of creating a false impression that there are only three indigenous tribes in Delta South Senatorial District. As stated above, Delta South Senatorial District is made up of 4 (four) indigenous tribes – Ijaw, Isoko, Itsekiri and Urhobo – with equal political and economic rights, as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
We will not tolerate a situation where persons in our party continue to make statements and engage in activities towards giving a false impression that Delta South Senatorial District is made up of only 3 indigenous tribes of Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri tribes only. This is highly provocative and will not be tolerated.
The Urhobos of Warri have always represented their Constituency (comprising the 6 wards) which is Warri South Constituency 2 in the Delta State House of Assembly from inception to date. The Current APC elected Member representing our Warri South Constituency 2 in the Delta State House of Assembly is an Urhobo indigene in the person of Chief Hon. Benson Obire. He is one of the only 2 Elected APC House of Assembly Members in the Delta State House of Assembly out of the 11 seats available in Delta South Senatorial District. The other 9 seats in the Senatorial District are currently occupied by PDP. We won the elections in our Constituency – Warri South Constituency 2 and we have always delivered.
Signed:
- Hon. Gabriel Okandeji
- Amb. Obruche Obodo
- Comrade Benjamin Eboh
- Hon. Marcus Akuruli
- Mr. Ejiro Odiete
On behalf of Urhobo APC Members who are Indigenes of Okere Urhobo and Agbarha Warri Kingdoms comprising 6 homogenous INEC delineated Electoral Wards in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta South Senatorial District.
