Following the insistence of Engr Mike Orugbo, a business mogul and oil magnate, for due process to be followed to the latter in the emergence of Udu Monarch despite being endorsed by different stakeholders as the next Ovie of Udu Kingdom, Udu LGC of Delta state, the Okporua Ruling House, to which the kingship has been zoned in line with the Traditional Rulers and Chieftaincy Edict 1979, has set aside Friday June 6, 2025 to take a final stand on the matter.

This was sequel to a resolution from the general meeting of Okporua Ruling House on Saturday May 31, 2025 at Ogbe-Udu townhall with delegates from the five communities in Okporua, chiefs and prominent indigenes from the area, including the Executive Chairman of Udu Local Government Council, Olorogun Vincent Oyibode as well as all aspirants to the throne in attendance.

The aspirants to the vacant stool of the Ovie include Chief Wisdom Ghaghara, Chief Ernest Mereh, Kesiena Joseph Towe and Sir Obukowho Doghor, as well as Engr Mike Orugbo, whom stakeholders from the entire Okporua Ruling House earlier pleaded with to accept the offer to be King.

During the meeting, Engr Mike Orugbo, who hitherto was the Chairman of Okporua Ruiling House, willingly stepped down from the position since he is an interested party and Engr Alex Neyin was unanimously appointed to take over in the interim.

Olorogun Vincent Oyibode, in his opening address, read the letter from the Otota/Regent of Udu Kingdom, Chief Sam Odibo requesting Okporua to nominate a candidate for the vacant stool of Udu Kingdom with a caveat that should the Ruling House fail to agree before the expiration of 30 days from May 16 when the letter was received by the Ruling House, the Kingship would move to the next Ruling House in the line of succession.

The Okporua people called on the aspirants to address the House one after the other after which, a decision was taken for the aspirants to settle for one person in a couple of days’ time, after which, Okporua Ruling House will elect/select one candidate on Friday June 6 so as to beat the deadline.

The House also agreed on the number of delegates to vote during the Friday meeting, should the need arise for election to include all Udu Chiefs from Okporua Ruling House, all UUC Exco members from Okporua Ruling House and five delegates from each of the five communities in Okporua, viz Ogbe-Udu, Oghior, Ukpiovwin, Okolor-Inland and Okolor-Waterside, to include each community president, an elder, a women leader, a youth leader and an opinion leader from the various communities.

The decision sat well with all the aspirants who expressed satisfaction with the process and agreed to abide by the outcome of the meeting scheduled for Friday, June 6, 2025.

The Executive Chairman of Udu Local Government Council, Olorogun Vincent Ogheneruemu Oyibode, chatted with newsmen after the meeting and expressed delight with the outcome. He praised all the aspirants for their commitment to peace, unity, and progress in the Udu Kingdom and thanked them for surrendering themselves to due process and the will of God and the people.

He added that the next Ovie of Udu Kingdom would be confirmed in a week and that all Udu people would be expected to pay the necessary obeisance to the throne in the spirit of oneness and integrity of the people’s traditional/cultural heritage.

Other Okporua Stakeholders at the meeting were Rt Hon Jonathan Goru, DESOPADEC Commissioner, Chief Eddie Ono-Sorhue, Chief Tagbovwere Okoro, the Okpruhiovwin of Udu Kingdom, the man vested with the authority to crown the new King at the end of the selection process, among others.