By Rufus Ibebe
LAGOS AUGUST 17TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Late Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) President General, Chief (Major-General) Patrick Aziza (rtd) was reported to have held a close door meeting with Delta State Labour Party Leader, Chief Great Ogboru and other prominent UPU leaders in Uvwie Town, Uvwie LGA, Delta State two days before his demise.
Thus, the pronouncement of his death yesterday came as a great shock to those who saw him at the meeting, more so when he appeared looking very healthy and had fruitful discussion with others in the meeting.
Although, the issue of the meeting that lasted for about four hours was not made public to newsmen an insider who did not want his names on print however informed Urhobotoday correspondent at the venue of the meeting that the discussion had to do with the alleged pronouncement of the Urhobo umbrella body of APC and PDP as the only party governorship candidates to be recorgnise in the 2015 general election.
A close aide of Ogboru who do not also want his names on print also affirmed that the meeting was aimed at correcting the mistake of the meeting that was held by UPU and some other politicians at Uvwimuge in what is today known as “ Uvwiamuge Declaration”.
According to him, the close door meeting held on Auust 14th also served as a consultation with the leaders of the UPU on how best to ensure that urhobo nation takes its rightful position in the coming general elections.
It should be recalled that the UPU had been rumored to have taken a stand to only work with a governorship aspirant that emerge from the People Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC). This was alleged to have been the outcome of the meeting that was held between UPU and some few politicians at Uvwiamuge early this year.
The above mentioned stand of the UPU to support only a candidate from two major competiting political parties in the country was tagged as, “Uvwiamuge Declaration”. The Uvwie close door meeting was probably held in other to upturn the alleged Uvwiamuge declaration for what our source claimed it is for the general good of the Urhobo land.
Urhobotoday also gathered from a reliable source who was part of the close door meeting that they have a fruitful deliberation, adding that in due course, the outcome of the result will be made public. His words “I can only tell you that the meeting ended successful but the outcome I cannot disclose to you because it will be made public by the appropriate authority soonest. I can only tell you that the meeting was held for the development of the Urhobo nation”
Other prominent people that attended the close door meeting were Chief Richard Odibo, prominent sons and daughters of Uvwie kingdom and representatives of traditional rulers . Also in attendance were some Labour Party members and chairmanship aspirants for the up coming local government election.