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By Amos Odeh, Yenagoa
Ahead the 2023 governorship election in Delta State, the Urhobo Community resident in Bayelsa State has started mobilizing its members to their various communities to register and collect their permanent voter cards.
The move, our correspondent gathered, is part of efforts to usher in a government that is both “responsible and responsive to the yearnings of the citizens of Delta State – both at home and in the diaspora.”
The Urhobos, the fifth largest ethnic nationality, are in majority in Delta State, cutting across the council areas in Delta Central senatorial district.
Leader of the ethnic nationality in Bayelsa State, King Joshua Apoyi Aweyu, the Okobaro 1 of Urhobo, who superintends over the twenty-four clans of Urhobos living in Bayelsa State, says they want to be “part of the electioneering process this time around, because successive governments of Delta State do not identify with them, despite numbering over twenty thousand in Bayelsa.
“Even the present governor of Bayelsa, Senator Douye Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, have confirmed and appreciated the voting and numerical strength of the Urhobos living in all the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State,” he added.
King Aweyu further said “during our courtesy call on His Excellency, the deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said during the 2019 governorship the efforts of the Urhobos were noticed in all the LGAs during the campaigns and election.
“We are poised to repeat the same feat at home since Delta State governorship election is 2023,” he said
In line with this, they have also formed a group known as Urhobo Joint Force Socio-political Forum, Bayelsa State chapter, to encourage Delta State citizens residing in Bayelsa to go home and undergo voter registration exercise.
Olorogun Gabriel Phrorhire, chairman of the group, Peter Ikoko (spokesman), Olorogun Aherhoke Okioma (head, media and publicity), Gift Okrika (Youth president) and Lady Ogedegbe (women leader), described the movement as not only apt, but auspicious, and called on Delta politicians at home, especially aspirants to support the group’s effort, which is a novel idea.
Our correspondent reported that No fewer than 18 buses departed from Yenagoa to Delta Central Senatorial District for the exercise on Tuesday, as the group called on other citizens of Delta State residing in Bayelsa State to ensure they get their PVCs before the next governorship election.
Speaking to our correspondent at Okwagbe earlier, James Rhobo said they were mobilized to go back to their various communities to register and obtain their Permanent Voters Card, stressing that since the governorship elections of Delta and Bayelsa states are not the same year, the group decided to partake in the next governorship election to enthrone the next state administration come 2023.
