During the last four governorship election in Delta State, Urhobo threw away the toga of lifelong political mainstream player to completely support Great Ovedje Ogboru and his Democratic People’s Party, DPP.

The Urhobo support for Ogboru, championed by the Urhobo Progress Union – UP U-climaxed during the 2011 general elections.

In spite of this massive support, Great Ogboru, popularly referred to as ‘the People’s General’ because of his role in the 1992 Orkar coup, lost the governorship race. However, his party won nine seats in the Delta State House of Assembly, two in the Federal House of Representatives and one Senate seat in the 2011 polls.

Then Urhobo watched helplessly as Ogboru’s DPP was devastated by infighting that progressed to desertion of all their legislators at state and national levels with most of them decamping to the PDP. The fortunes of Ogboru’s DPP fell further when his running mate in the 2011 polls, Fidelis Tilije, dumped him and joined the APC. When a political party ‘owned’ by one man falls apart, the buck should stop on the table of the owner. On this ground alone, Ogboru should be held accountable for the demolition of his political platform.

First, he had no vision beyond Delta State, earning his party the tag of a micro party. Second, after every election, Ogboru practically goes to sleep, unseen and unheard, perhaps because he believes he can always count on the undivided support of Urhobo. Third, while he watched, his key associates, Chief Frank Kokori, Chief Richard Odibo, Chief Ede Dafinone and many others, fled the DPP.

It was their reaction to support fatigue – mental, physical, financial and emotional exhaustion with no end in sight. These cumulative events mean that Ogboru’s electability gap has now widened into an unbridgeable gulf, a decline confirmed by the third position of the DPP in what was supposed to be its stronghold in the Delta Central Senatorial District bye election in October of 2013.

Urhobo’s total support for Ogboru and the DPP cast Urhobo into the political wilderness, unequalled in its illustrious history. There was a complete absence of political appointments at all levels of significance and complete lack of federal presence which means that federal structures, institutions and infrastructure due to Urhobo land went elsewhere in the state or even outside the state. So for the support of Ogboru, Urhobo paid dearly.

By withdrawing support from Ogboru and DPP, UPU has taken a bold step that is not aimed at demonizing Ogboru but at advancing Urhobo stated objectives and goals. UPU and Urhobo supported Ogboru without reservations. It is now time for Ogboru and his supporters to support the stated position and directive of UPU to propel the collective interests of Urhobo who supported him without reservations under the leadership and direction of the same UPU.

It is unfortunate that Ogboru, ‘The People’s General’ has not done the kind of strategic generals are known for and even if he does so now, it is too late for the battle of 2015. Going forward, unless Ogboru joins a mainstream political party, his best days as a politician are behind him. So, it must be emphasized that Ogboru is not the problem, his political platform is.

Urhobo started their march back to relevance when they voted for the PDP during the 2013 Delta Central Senatorial bye election. To quicken the march out of the wilderness, out of what I know is an abundance of loyalty to Urhobo, Ogboru should in words and deed support UPU’s directive.

Anything less will reveal ingratitude to UPU and Urhobo of unfathomable magnitude, taking with it the reverence he has enjoyed from Urhobo who had supported him with everything.

Denzel Umukoro Umukoro