National Publicity Secretary of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Mr. Abel Oshevire, has said there was no crisis, saying that the UPU under the leadership of Olorogun Moses Taiga was at peace with all stakeholders.
Oshevire in a statement said; “Our attention has been drawn to an allegation by Chief Joe Omene that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, is responsible for an imaginary crisis in the UPU. “Ordinarily, we had intended to ignore Chief Omene, the former President-General of the UPU.
However, given the fact that the allegation could convey a wrong impression in the minds of those not conversant with the workings of the UPU, we have decided to put the records straight.
“Let it be stated for the umpteenth time that there is no crisis in the UPU, under the control of Olorogun Moses Taiga, who was first elected President- General on December 6th, 2016, for a three-year term and was re-elected on 5th December 2019, for another three-year term.
“Chief Omene duly served out his tenure and was replaced with Olorogun Taiga in a legally constituted national congress of the UPU that had most of the royal fathers and delegates from all the 24 kingdoms of the Urhobo Nation in attendance.
“It is most unfortunate that since Chief Omene ceased being the PG, he has continued to engage in actions and utterances that are embarrassing, shameful, disgraceful and unbefitting of his person and former position.
“It beats our imagination why Omene has chosen to drag Governor Okowa’s name into a non-existing crisis in the UPU. We believe and conclude that he is merely seeking attention and relevance by that reckless, unguarded and provocative allegation.
“Rather than this constant tantrums in the media in the failed attempts to mislead, misinform and curry favors, we urge Omene to take bold and firm steps at appeasing the Urhobo Nation and reintegrating himself into Urhobo society by seeking forgiveness and sanctify himself of the traditional ostracism invoked on him by Urhobo Royal Fathers, Urhobo Kingdoms Presidents-General and other relevant stakeholders in the Urhobo Nation.
“We wish to affirm again that there is no crisis in the UPU and that Governor Okowa is a man of peace. He respects the independence and sovereignty of the Urhobo traditional leadership and will never, and has never, interfered in its affairs”.