2023: UPU Edevbie Commercial Endorsement Deal, Not Urhobo Nation’s Interest

By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq.

Urhobo nation of Delta Central Senatorial District was thrown into confusion on Easter Sunday, 17th April as a result of the purported endorsement of Olorogun David Edevbie by Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, as preferred governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Taiga in a statement on Sunday said he intends to also adopt the best aspirants of political parties before party primaries.

Edevbie and UPU maintains a long history of commercial political deals or what some political observers fondly refer to as cash and carry cum paddy paddy endorsement, influenced by political godfatherism that brought the Urhobo sociocultural organization to her kneels in 2014/2015.

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Deltans will not forget in a hurry how UPU under Chief Joe Omene in 2014/2015 drafted same David Edevbie to engineer political ripples few days to PDP gubernatorial primaries, in what UPU described as the actualization of Uvbiamuge Declaration to produce Urhobo Governor.

Edevbie was the smart political underdog used to truncate the much talked about Power Rotation Arrangement within PDP family. Edevbie, the political fox and proverbial tortoise is at it again using same UPU to further divide and tear Delta PDP apart through the help of some UPU leaders as it were in 2014/2015 elections.

The alleged 2022 cash and carry endorsement which was perfected over the weekend in Lagos does not and can never be said to represent or reflect Urhobo Nation’s political or socioeconomic interests. It is purely induced by forces targeting Delta State treasury in 2023 and beyond.

The latest UPU Edevbie Kangaroo endorsement is dead on arrival and PG Moses Taiga can still do well to save himself from impending public disgrace and embarrassments by withdrawing the paddy paddy endorsement alleged to have been heavily induced by financial gratifications.

It must be stated that UPU PG’s leadership strategy has been faulty and the illegal endorsement is at variance with UPU’s object and constitution of the sociocultural organization. It is the stock in trade of the Union to always usurp the duties and functions of political parties. UPU was not registered as a political pressure group or political advocacy group. It is wholesomely a sociocultural organisation.

It follows that the endorsement of Oloogun David Edevbie was and still a clear violation of UPU’s objectives and constitution. Therefore endorsement of politicians cannot be seen as representing the interest of Urhobo nation in the forthcoming governorship election in Delta State. It is outside the operational scope of UPU.

It is completely erroneous and politically defective for UPU or PG Taiga to endorse aspirants across board and in all political parties. It is a clueless game and cannot be seen as Urhobo sociocultural interest contained in the Union’s constitution registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission or by subsisting Laws.

The long history of political intercourse between Edevbie and UPU is traceable to powerful invisible hands, a clear paddy paddy arrangement to rebuild a financial empire of political oligarchs. It is not and should never be referred to as Urhobo interest. It is at best a technical political scam, to brand it Urhobo interest is far from the hidden truth..

It was the same endorsement saga that destroyed the very foundation of UPU in 2015 and Taiga cannot again take us through another dark journey to nowhere. UPU ought to sort things out codedly with all Urhobo aspirants and together present a consensus aspirant, if possible, and who will thereafter emerge as the party’s candidate, not this paddy paddy prearranged endorsement that was hurriedly done in Lagos in the wee hours on Saturday night by PG Taiga and his political associates.

As you read this piece, Taiga is in Lagos and no UPU Exco meeting took place over the weekend anywhere in the world. It was a deal finalised in Lagos and press statement dated 25th April was released on 17th April, 2022. It turned out to be a posted statement exposing the alleged financially induced Kangaroo endorsement of David Edevbie.

The endorsement if backed by UPU constitution ought to be made public via a national or world press conference with all PGs of the 24 kingdoms, royal fathers and stakeholders in attendance. Not this paddy paddy and alleged cash and carry endorsement.

PG MosesTaiga ought to learn from the lessons of 2014/2015 Urhobo governor palava which fielded the same controversial Edevbie, the Urhobo PDP aspirant at the gubernatorial primaries. He came second and his desperate self centered governorship ambition almost destroyed the power rotation agreement if not for the magnanimity and Pan Delta spirit that is inherent in the incumbent governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. He graciously let go the electioneering pains of that unforgettable bitter experience sponsored by a cabal and UPU.

Our dear Ijaw brothers are still very much angry with Urhobo nation for that unfortunate UPU incursion in partisan politics. The same Edevbie and his political associates are at it again, making it the second time UPU is endorsing him under strange and unscrupulous arrangements to the detriment of our great party, PDP, and Urhobo nation of Delta Central Senatorial District.

This is not how to actualise Urhobo interest, this is a clear case of commercial political transaction among business associates, period.

Is David Edevbie the only intelligent, well educated and experienced Urhobo son in Delta Central Senatorial District politics? Are the other aspirants not qualified and competent? Can’t UPU endorse one of them this time around if indicated in the Union’s constitution?

Why has David Edevbie become the proverbial Tortoise that is always featuring in UPU governorship endorsement agenda, season after season? Is UPU choice of David Edevbie financially induced or influenced by political godfatherism? Taiga and UPU should state the obvious once and for all.

And in any case, UPU lacked the legal capacity to endorse aspirants of political parties as a sociocultural organization registered under strict operational conditions stipulated in the Corporate Affairs Commission Act.

This endorsement is a clear betrayal of the confidence reposed in Moses Taiga by Urhobo nation. At best, it passes for personal endorsement by the Diaspora PG whose tenure shall expire soon. Taiga should not drag Urhobo nation into another round of political and electioneering conflict. He should withdraw the illegal endorsement to avert impending legal tussles.

It has also been observed that Taiga is high handed in managing the affairs of UPU. He unilaterally take critical decisions and imposed same on the helpless Exco members of UPU who dare not challenge his authority because of his stupendous wealth and connections in high places.

Findings revealed that PG Taiga has been handling the affairs of the Union from his base in United Kingdom. Never again shall UPU have another Diaspora PG. Future President Generals must be home based one hundred percent and must adhere strictly to the Union’s constitution and its provisions.

For example, adopting aspirants is not expressly stated in the Union’s constitution. This must be noted and the purported political endorsement of Edecbie must of legal necessity be withdrawn immediately to avoid another round of political conflict and legal battles between UPU and Urhobo nation political actors.

Taiga also appealed to the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, to forgive the 2014/2015 political transgressions of Olorogun David Edevbie, and accept him as the Union’s preferred aspirant. I don’t get it. Taiga should tell Urhobo nation the truth about this conspiracy theory.

There is more to this distasteful and provocative endorsement than meet the eyes. This is certainly not in the spirit of Urhobo interest, it is the interest of a committee of friends as can be deduced from the illegal process and procedures adopted in endorsing Olorogun David Edevbie. No right thinking Urhobo son or daughter will accept this unfortunate kangaroo endorsement except co-conspirators and their associates.

Deltans and Urhobos are not fools and cannot be fooled by this paddy paddy endorsement. We know the game and how Moses Taiga arrived at his choice of Edevbie. It is a private deal, not Urhobo interest. Taiga should of a necessity repudiate the endorsement or we shall approach a Court of competent jurisdiction to challenge its validity.

UPU constitution is clear on all legitimate issues and limits of the Urhobo sociocultural organisation. Any decision taken outside the spirit and letters of UPU constitution is to that extent null and void abinitio and of no legal effect whatsoever. It can not stand.

Happy Easter.
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Photo: UPU PG Moses Taiga with Past PG Joe Omene. The duo are involved in UPU past and present commercial endorsements of David Edevbie.