Urhobo Political Movement Insists on Urhobo VC for FUPRE, Credible Candidate for Senate
Founder and Chairman of Urhobo Political Movement, Olorogun Christopher Obiuwevbi Ominimini
By Oghenekevwe Laba
LAGOS SEPTEMBER 15TH (URHOBOTODAY)-A socio-political organization, Urhobo Political Movement (UPM) has insisted on the appointment of an Urhobo indigenes as the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Petroleum (FUPRE), Effurun, and election of a credible candidate into the vacant Delta Central Senatorial seat made vacant by the demise of Senator Pius Ewherido.
(L-R) Olorogun Otega Emerho, Chairman of UPM Olorogun Christopher Obiuwevbi Ominimini and Surveyor Terry Noah during UPM meeting recently
Making a case for the appointment of an Urhobo Vice Chancellor of the University yesterday during a meeting of UPM in Ughelli Delta State in which Urhobos in Patani Local Government Area were inaugurated as member of the group, Chairman of UPM, Chief Christopher Obiuwevbi Ominimini disclosed that they have resolved that the vacant position of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources which the university authority had placed advertisement for in the media should be occupied by an Urhobo indigene.
(L-R) Chiarman and Founder of Urhobo Political Movement Olorogun Christopher Obiuwevbi Ominimini and Professor Iboje during meeting of UPM recently....
He argued that majority of the Federal University located in different ethnic areas of the country is headed by their tribe’s men and as such an Urhobo man should be made to head University of Petroluem Resources located in Urhoboland.
“Yoruba indigenes are the Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University is headed by Hausaman, while University of Nigeria, Nsukka is headed by an Igboman so why must that of Urhobo be different,” Ominimini argued.
Ominimini further argued that Urhobos are entitled to certain percentage of employment in the tertiary institution, adding that they would write letters to the office of the President, House of Senate and House of Representative among other authorities to intimate them of their request. He added that anything short of accepting their demands is oppressive and signal of further marginalistion which the Urhobos have been going through ever since.
“We are making letter to the presidency, the House of Senate, the House of Representative and other organs of authority to express our demands. Urhobo Political Movement is well positioned to fight for Urhobo right and position. Anything short of the above of the demands is oppressive and further marginalization of the Urhobos,” he argued.
(L-R) DPP Senatorial Aspirant Abel Edijala and Olorgun Christopher Obiuwevbi Ominimini during UPM meeting
In order to elect a credible and trustworthy candidate that will represent Urhobo interest effectively at the Senate, the group which is not affiliated to any political party has unanimously agreed to form committees in each of the eight Urhobo local government areas in Delta State including urhobos in Patani to scrutinize the aspirants through a set-up criteria after which they will submit acceptable candidate to the centre. At the centre, the names of the candidates submitted from the local government areas will under further scrutiny with the final candidate according to Ominimini becoming the choice of the group.
(L-R) Chairman and Founder of Urhobo Political Movement Olorogun Christopher Obiuwevbi and PDP Senatorial aspirant Olorogun Oru during UPM meeting
Ominimini said although all the candidates contesting for the position are credible, worthy, capable and qualified for the position of Senate, he, however, added that it would be of the best interest of the Urhobos to elect the best out of the contestants as all of them cannot occupy the seat at the same time.
He advised the different aspirants to go about their campaign without quarrel or rancor, reminding them that the election is an in house affairs and not a do or die issue,
Aspirants contesting for the the vacant seat of Delta Central Senatorial who were at the venue of the meeting used the opportunity to declare their manifestoes to members of the group.
Chief Omerho O’tega of APC, Chief Abel Eijala of DPP, Chief Oru of PDP and Chief Edoja of PDP were among the senatorial aspirants who attended the meeting yesterday.
