UPU Crisis: We Made An Error – Ibori

Former Delta State governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori has declared that the crisis rocking Urhobo apex socio-cultural organisation, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) was an error that needed to be corrected immediately.

Ibori stated this on Friday while speaking at the 86th Urhobo Day put together by the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) at Uvwiamuge, Agbarho, Delta state.

According to him, the Urhobo Progress Union had meddled into politics hence the division which has become a bane of the Urhobo people.

Ibori who expressed great concern over the leadership crisis rocking the UPU, said it was regrettable that Urhobo sons and daughters turned UPU into political machinery to foster their interest, saying that if UPU must move forward politics must be removed from its activities.

The former governor who spoke in Urhobo dialect, also expressed dissapointment over the state of the Urhobo cultural center, saying the building does not befit the UPU.

He however appealed to traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Urhobo nation to quickly come together and resolve the disunity in UPU as well as in Urhobo nation.

“Let us not allow party politics to destroy the UPU or allow it to divide Urhovbo nation. We can resolve this issue. Let’s come together, why the disunity? Let’s join hands to move Urhobo nation and the UPU forward. I am passionately appealing for us to be united. What happened was an error”, Ibori declares.

Continuing, he said, “Is this really befitting of the Urhobo nation? No one is bigger than Urhobo even myself. With my experience in state and national politics, I am eminently qualified to advise the Urhobo nation on politics and on the need for our unity. We made an error.

“Let’s remove politics from the activities of UPU. We as Urhobos have the force in this country to move forward but because of disunity we are being held back and this is totally unhelpful.

“I have pledged that I would work for the progress of Urhobo nation, you might dislike me for saying the truth but I would continue to stand by the Urhobo people”, Chief Ibori added.

Speaking at the event, Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa said: “I have no apology identifying with the Urhobo nation. I also want to commend the efforts of the Urhobo kings for making Delta Central peaceful.”

While underscoring what his administration have done in Delta Central, Governor Okowa said they have embarked on the construction of 153 roads adding that 50 of such roads are in Delta Central.

Earlier in his address, Olorogun Moses Taiga, President General, Worldwide of the UPU disclosed that “In 2018, we would commence the establishment of the Mukoro Mowoe University with an application for the university through the National University Commission.”

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