The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), the socio-cultural umbrella body of all Urhobos worldwide, has been advised to stay away from partisan politics and endorsement of candidates contesting elections.
Mr. Francis Ewherido, a chartered insurance broker and Niger Delta Today columnist, gave the advice to UPU in a chat with newsmen.
He was speaking as a result of the news that the UPU leadership led by Okakuro Ese Gam has endorsed some candidates on behalf of the Urhobo Nation for the upcoming elections.
“In 2015, UPU endorsed Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, but President Muhammadu Buhari won. I felt very awkward when I went to Aso Rock as part to the delegation of the UPU under a new leadership of Olorogun Moses Taiga, Urhobo traditional rulers and other prominent Urhobo sons and daughters to congratulate Buhari and make some demands for the Urhobo Nation.
“Endorsement of candidates by UPU has always lowered the esteem of the body in the eyes of Urhobos and outsiders, why continue on this path of self-destruction?
“The most ridiculous is the endorsement of a governorship candidate. All the leading candidates for the governorship election are Urhobos: Ovie Omo-Agege of APC, Sheriff Oborevwori of PDP, Great Ogboru of APGA, Kenneth Gbagi of SDP, Ken Pela of LP and others are prominent sons of Urhobo. Urhobos are also in all the parties contesting the election and UPU is an umbrella body of all Urhobos worldwide.
“The best UPU can do is to advise the candidates and their supporters to be peaceful and law-abiding. UPU is charting a path to irrelevance with its partisanship. It should retrace itself steps and not make the Urhobo nation a laughing stock”, Ewherido concluded.
