Ibori Pledges Commitment to Urhobo Cause

Ibori Pledges Commitment to Urhobo Cause

Against fear of distrust and being unpatriotic to the Urhobo cause, the immediate past governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, has pledged his loyalty and commitment to serve in any capacity that would be assigned to him, the ideals of Urhobo land.

Chief Ibori made the pledge at the opening session of the Urhobo Unity Summit held at the PTI Conference, Effurun recently. Expressing his gratitude to Olorogun Felix Ibru, the President General of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU and the entire executive of the union for piloting the affairs of the Urhobo people, Chief Ibori pleaded for pardon for error he may have committed hitherto.

He declared that Olorogun Felix Ibru is a man to be trusted with the leadership and the conduct of the affairs of the Urhobo people. "I James Onanefe Ibori stand and support the ideals that you will formulate, I stand committed to serve in any capacity the ideals you will articulate of what will drive the UPU forward" Ibori said. In good will messages presented by leaders and representatives of neighbouring ethnic groups to Urhobo in Delta, Chief Dr. Senator E.K. Clark lamented the prevailing disunity among the Urhobo people, recalling how the UPU united all Urhobo of all political divide whether NCNC or Action Group and stressed that then, "Urhobo nation was Urhobo nation". "I have therefore, watched with deep sorrow and disappointment the creep of Urhobo in the affairs of Warri province now Delta State, particularly Warri urban, eroding away due to lack of committed leadership as was provided by past fathers as President-General but who had very little western education, but were very intelligent and very much committed to Urhobo cause and their neighbours respected them".

He was applauded when he advised the Urhobo people not to worship politics of money but to be united for the common cause. Chief Isaac Jemide, who was to give a good will message on behalf of the Itsekiri ethnic nation was absent but Elder Peter Erebi who spoke on behalf of the Isoko people said the summit further cemented the relationship between the Isoko and Urhobo peoples.

He urged the ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta to seek unity and address the issues that concern the oil and gas being exploited in the region "I believe that the summit will further unite the Urhobo as no doubt, once Urhobo takes the lead others will follow. "We Isoko people will support all resolutions reached at the summit. " He pledged. Also speaking Prof B.I.C. Ijomah who was represented by Hon. Ossai Ossai pledged continued partnership with the Urhobo people saying that Urhobo is a role model to all other ethnic groups in Delta and sued for unity.

Ambassador Palph Uwechue, leader of the Ohaneze on behalf of the Ibo speaking people said by the summit Urhobo were leading the way to teach Nigeria how to unite. "Ethnic groups are the basic units by which a nation is made. Identifying with them is good, what is bad is the abuse. "You cannot be a good Nigerian if you are a bad Urhobo man "he said and on behalf of the Ibo nation pledged readiness and support for any venture that would advance the unity and progress of the Nigerian nation.

One time military governor of defunct Midwest State, Dr Samuel Osaigbevu Ogbemudia noted that the decision for the summit was timely as it was aimed at inspiring the Urhoob to seize and never relinquish any opportunity that arises. He urged the UPU to bring together all Urhobo and inculcate in them the commitment to the over all good collaborate with others to move to enviable height and take the front, use their tremendous intellect and other endorsement to move Urhobo forward and engender economic diversity and lead the trail to diffuse the time bomb that is being planted. He urged the UPU to assemble sufficient evidence so that the verdict of the summit would be favourable to them.

Earlier, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode who was Chairman of the occasion in his opening remarks said "this is the opening session of the Urhobo summit, 2009 at which the Urhobo people in company of our neighbours and other people of Nigeria nation have come to celebrate the Unity of Urhobo and to reinforce it for the benefit of the entire nation to respond positively and creativity to the challenge of nation building. "We have come to remind our people and others that we are proud of the development of the land marks of Nigeria. At the same time, we use this opportunity to identify the challenges that lie before us as discreet and important generation in order that we can move forward.

"The Urhobo people happen to be part of the Niger Delta which has been very much in the news because of the negligence that has been tolerated for over 50years and therefore, because we are persuaded to contribute the role we must play in Nigeria so that all of us can enjoy the blessing rather than a curse, and unless we understand where we are coming from, where are would like to be as a people that enjoy peace, making progress, we may all regret".

In encapsulating the objective of the summit, the President General of UPU, Chief Felix Ibru said although the Urhobo people always met annually to consider matters affecting "our common welfare, this gathering is rare" in the sense that the UPU invited delegates from a broad spectrum of the Urhobo population, in Urhoboland and from far and wide in the Urhobo Diaspora; the issues that needed to be considered touch on fundamental matters of the future of the Urhobo people in the 21st century in that representatives of various ethnic neighours in the Niger Delta were invited to the summit. Governor Emmanuel Uduagha, expressed greetings and solidarity for the summit, which was aimed at unity on behalf of the VP, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. "On my part as governor of Delta State I want to thank you for electing me as governor and His Excellency, Chief Felix Ibru who has done everything possible to ensure peace. "Today's summit is the climax of unity since I was elected. You will recall that one of my 3- point agenda is peace and security.

No tribe thrives on ethnic distrust. We need this summit especially at this time in Nigeria. "Few days ago the Governors of the Niger Delta took a resolve and I want to assure you that the governors who signed that communiqué signed it because of what we see. We are very supportive of President Yar'Adua; we believe that in this period of amnesty, there are things that will make the amnesty to work. "We assure that until the grey areas concerning the Federal University of Petroleum Resources here in Effurun are resolved, there is no going back. "Things are happening in this county and we will not allow our blessings to miss our way. But for us to focus on this we require your support.

This is the time for us to be united" and speaking in Urhobo language, Governor Uduaghan pleaded with the Urhobo people for support and unity.

Contempt: Uduaghan, Aide, Others Dare Court Orders

Delta state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, his Special Adviser on Inter Party Relations, Dr. Emmanuel Mafiana and others may be committed to prison for contempt of Court even as monumental fraud was said to have characterised disbursement of the 2008/2009 N28.8 million grants to political parties in the state last week.

It would be recalled that the State Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Odafe Igbini had dragged the state government and the Special Adviser to an Effurun High Court over the alleged fraudulent manner in which N20million grants meant for opposition parties in the state were disbursed by the governor's aide last year.

In a suit file no EHC/99/2009 which has Dr. Emmanuel Mafiana as 1st Respondent/ Defendant, Delta state government as 2nd Respondent/ Defendant and PRP as Plaintiff/Applicant, the Presiding Judge, Justice Gbemre had granted an Interim injunction sought by the state Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) ordering the state government to stop further disbursement of grants meant for political parties to the Special Adviser on Inter Party Relations, Dr. Emmanuel Mafiana until the determination of the legal action brought against him.

The plaintiff represented by his counsel, Mr. Chuks Ebu also demanded a declaration that any purported sharing of N20 million grants appropriated and released by the state government for all registered political parties in the state on or before October 2007 by the first Defendant without following due process was illegal, null and void and of no legal effect whatsoever.

The Court also ordered Dr. Mafiana to refrain from collecting any grant or money meant for the PRP until the determination of the suit. By this court order, the state government can only disburse the said outstanding grants of 2006 and 2008 and any other grants and money only through another political appointee for the disbursement to political parties. Our reporter learnt that this order is still valid even as the case has been adjourned to 19, October, 2009.

It was also gathered that the Court order was granted in presence of Barr. Daubry, the state Counsel who was in Court for Mafiana and government. Investigations further showed that the enrolment of order of Court was again served on the state government and Mafiana through office of Attorney General which came up for hearing on 15 July, 2009 and their lawyer, an Assistant Director in the office of Attorney General, pleaded with the court to adjourn the case claiming he was not prepared to argue the motion on notice that he ought to use to vacate the interim order hanging on Dr. Mafiana and the state government.

Meanwhile, the 1st and 2nd Respondent/ Defendants flouted the court orders as the state government last week went ahead to release a whopping sum of N28.8 million grants to Dr. Mafiana which he disbursed to registered political Parties in the state. The disbursement which Party members alleged were disbursed in fraudulent manners accused the state government of deceiving people with its fiscal responsibility law recently made by it.

Our reporter reliably learnt that several Parties already blacklisted by the state government through the office of the Inter party relations and other fictitious parties were allegedly involved in the last week disbursement of the N28.8million grants. It was also gathered that in every money disbursed to the parties, the Special Adviser allegedly took away 20% each in the case where parties cheque bearing N600,000, they were paid N480,000 only after the alleged deduction of the 20% as the case may be. Sources, who confided in our reporter, alleged that some parties got N1 million, People Democratic Party (PDP) got N2 million; Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) Dr. Mafiana's Party got the sum of N2million. AC faction of Mr.Sam Egwerome got N1.5million while other parties seen as small parties got N480,000, N500, 000 after the deduction of the 20% by the governor's aide.

It was reliably learnt that the state House of Assembly Minority leader, Mrs. Pat Ajudua was to be given the N28.8 million grants which was paid through Zenith Bank, Asaba for disbursement as court did not stop the state government from allowing some one else but this the Special Adviser allegedly protested and got the money paid to him to disburse himself. Reacting to the development, the PRP governorship candidate in the 2007 general elections said "This action of Dr. Mafiana and the state government is contempt of court, total insult on the Judiciary and Legal profession and amounts to disregard, disobedience and disrespect for the rule of law, Judgment of court and supreme constitution of Nigeria.

This sad action throws the greatest challenge and insult at the legal profession and Judiciary. It's left for them to react in order to save their noble profession. It raised doubt if Uduaghan wants peace, security and democracy" adding that PRP has immediately commenced contempt proceedings against Dr. Mafiana, the state government and others. When contacted on the issue, Dr. Mafiana simply said what was being speculated as fraud in the disbursement were mere story as there was no atom of truth, adding that he was away from town and promised to reach our reporter as soon as he returns which he never did as at the time of going to press.