2023: We’ll Vote for Candidate Committed to Federalism, Diversity, Says UPU

Udora Orizu in Abuja 

The Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) has stated that over six million Urhobo people in Nigeria will be meticulous in the choice of leaders  they will vote for during the 2023 polls, noting that only a presidential candidate committed to federalism, diversity and so on will get their support.

The Union, in a statement by its President General, Joe Omene, said Urhobo people, who are the fourth largest ethnic group in the country, have suffered so much on account of the enormous and untrammeled powers vested in the office of the president that has been used to hold down the development of the component parts of so-called federation contrary to the charter of agreement before independence.

According to him, Urbobos are unhappy the way the most powerful office in the land has mis-managed our diversity, security, economy  and the entire social fabric of Nigeria. 

This is why, he said the Urhobos across Nigeria will troop out en mass in the forth coming 2023 election to vote in the next election in a way and they have never done to elect leaders at all levels.

Omene said: “The 2019 Presidential election was won with a vote margin of about three million votes. There are over six million Urhobos in Nigeria, that is why the Urhobo people more than ever before and conscious of the suffering of our people and the consequences of the election of bad or ineffective democratic leaders. That is why the Urhobo across Nigeria will troop out en mass in the forth coming 2023 election to make a demographic political statement with our numbers of who should be the president of Nigeria on the basis of key issues that matter to the Urhobo people.We are calling on all sons and daughters of Urhobo nation to vote in 2023, a Governorship and Presidential candidate that commits publicly to further reform the electoral system and enthrone a culture of credible election where votes count.

“Our people need to examine and scrutinize the history of all persons aspiring for public offices to ensure that they have no public record of association with treasury looting, carting away of public funds where they are sorely needed for collective development to horde in developed Western nations for their personal and family use only. Urhobo people do not want a president who gets to power with their votes to be begged and cajoled to sign future bills from parliament  to improve the quality of elections in our country but will only sign when he or she is not on the ballot. Politicians who have proven records of frustrating free and fair elections at Local government, state or federal elections, who have affiliations with election riggers, distortion of results at collation centres, bribing of pliant judges, and sponsorship of ballot box snatchers or thugs would be avoided and shall not get the votes of the Urhobo people in the 2023 election.”