Omene declares UPU election that installed Taiga, Owe as Illegal

7 years ago

Omene declares UPU election that installed Taiga, Owe as Illegal

The embattled President General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Chief Joe Orode Omene has described the purported UPU election wherein Olorogun Moses Taiga and Barr. Ese Gam Owe emerged President General and Secretary General respectively as illegal.

Omene stated that the election of the duo and others which recently held the Urhobo Cultural Hall at Uvwiamuge-Agbarho does not conform with the UPU constitution, insisting that he remains the authentic President General of the apex Urhobo Socio-Cultural Organisation.

Omene also stated that there was no election in Uwiamuge-Agbarho, pointing out that the purported election was a deliberate effort by the Delta State Government and its allies to cow the Urhobo nation by planting their surrogates in a seemingly electoral process that was never in line with the constitutional provision of the general elections.

“There was no election in Uwiamuge. The UPU has guidelines for election and the election must be conducted by the annual national congress and it must give three months in lieu of notice to everyone to prepare for the election. This process was not followed rather what we had was a kangaroo sort of government backing illegality to foist a PDP Chieftain on the Urhobo nation.”

“Permit me to quote article 8 paragraph 1A of the UPU constitution on election of officers. It says that election of national officers shall take place only at an annual Urhobo National Congress at a venue design for that purpose by the National Executive Council”

“Was this followed at the Uwiamuge purported election? No. They said it was a special emergency UPU Congress. What we had was a show of security might of the state as if Urhobo is at war. Why do we need over 500 policemen , soldiers and even armoured car to hold election? Our elections did not even have one policeman. The people voted and decided. Because they know theirs was illegal, they mustered security from all parts of the state”

Chief Omene also noted that, “There was nothing like board of trustees in UPU. They are bypassing the constitution, just because they are desperate to actualise their 2019 plans. The rollcall that day was gathering of Urhobo PDP chieftains in the state government. Those who had never been to UPU meetings or activities”

He said Urhobos cannot be cowed “As a peace loving President General, I never wish any Urhobo son or daughter to die because of my election, that is why I decided to pursue the legal option.”

It should be recalled that a month after Chief Joe Omene and his excos held an annual Congress and he was re-elected as President General, another Congress tagged ‘Special Emergency Congress’ election was held, where he was said to have been kicked out by some monarchs and Urhobo leaders and Chief Moses Taiga was elected as President General.