LAGOS FEBRUARY (URHOBOTODAY)-Ahead of Delta state governorship election come 2015, as different political parties, ethnic and pressure jostle for political relevance, the National Chairman of the resuscitated Urhobo Political Forum, (UPF) Chief Ighoyota Amori, may have jettison the Urhobo quest to produce the next governor of Delta State as he allegedly took the sacked minister of Niger Delta Ministry, Elder Godsday Orubebe, this week to see Chief James Ibori, the former governor for his support and blessing.
According to a reliable source who spoke to the Urhobo Times anonymously, he alleged that Amori’s reason for abandoning the Urhobo quest may not be unconnected with his aspiration to take over the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta state after the tenure of Barr. Peter Nwaboushi.
Our source also alleged that, “to get Amori to support the Orubebe’s project he was promised the PDP State chairmanship position, while Chief Monday Ovwigho Igbuya, the National Vice Chairman and Majority Leader of the Delta State House of Assembly was promised the speakership position.”
The source added that Amori was pained by the outcome of the last senatorial election, and to remain relevant politically; he has to chat a new course politically and looking at the body language of the Governor, who many thinks if not likely to hand-over power to Delta North in 2015, decided to pitch his political tent with Orubebe.
Our source said further that this might have been the reason why UPF at its local government inauguration that took place in Sapele, on Sunday said that Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s agenda and directive is what the group stand for and will pursue as their political agenda in 2015.
Our source however, added that with the current reconciliatory move by Chief Ibori with UPU leadership, he doubts if Ibori will buy the Orubebe candidacy, because that would amount to another betrayal, “am very confident that Ibori of today will not betray the Urhobo nation, Chief Amori may have discovered another oil-well to milk ahead of 2015 governorship election, if not Ibori will not support Orubebe.”
Chief Monday Ovwigho Igbuya, the National Vice Chairman of UPF, while addressing members at the inauguration of UPF local government executive in Sapele, said that UPF will interact and receive all governorship aspirants, nevertheless will wait for the directive of Dr. Uduaghan before they would make any commitment, because the Governor’s agenda is what the group stand for.
Igbuya emphasized that, “in 2015, Governor Uduagahan is our sole candidate, where he stand, there we shall stand, his agenda is our agenda, and his directive is what UPF will follow and carry out fully, because he is our amiable leader, this is the mindset of the UPF leadership, we shall follow Uduaghan wherever he goes.”
Though, Chief Amori in his speech at the inauguration of UPF Exco, has urged the members to be forthright and be committed to the Urhobo course saying; “as of the 2015 is drawing near, I enjoin all of you to be alive to your responsibilities as Urhobos must occupy their pride of place in the political equation in the State and Nigeria in general….
“Our political activities must increase as preparation for 2015 is drawing near. We must be prepared to support any supportable candidate who has the where-withal to occupy the number one position of the state. In all, Urhobo interest must be uppermost.
“Our commitment/loyallty to the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and his administration, remains unshakable. He has done so much for the Urhobos and the state, hence we will stick to his directives in all political equation that will take the state to the next level.”
But in a swift reaction to the position of the UPF, a chieftain of PDP in Ughelli North, Chief James Onosakponome, has berated the UPF leadership, saying that from their pronouncement, it is clear that the UPF is at it again to scuttle the Urhobo governorship aspiration, just as they did in 2007.
Chief Onosakponome queried the position of UPF; “what do they mean by saying that Uduaghan’s political agenda is their own agenda? If Uduaghan’s agenda runs against the Urhobos aspiration would they not toil the line? Since they have publicly announced to the whole world that the UPF as a group has no agenda, except to promote, propagate and protect Uduagahns’s political interest.”
Am ashamed of these characters who are bent on pulling the Urhobo nation down just for a mere crumbs from their masters table, by now Chief Amori and his co-travelers should have been contented from the massive wealth they acquired during Ibori’s administration, but rather than use their wealth to promote Urhobo course, they have consistently stood against the Urhobo progress, this is a big shame.”
When other ethnic groups across the state are coming up with their agenda and strategies on how to win the election, Amori and UPF is telling the Urhobo nation that Uduaghan’s agenda is their agenda, I feel sorry for this class of Urhobo politician whose only aim of joining politics is to line their pockets and fill their stomach.”
Chief Onosakponome ask members of the UPF who still have some level of decency to dump the group, while calling on the leadership of the UPU to re-visit and review the activities all the political pressure group are using the Urhobo appendage in order to properly situate them, as most of them are anti-Urhobo, this will stem this current ugly situation,” he added.

Source: Urhobotimes