Two publications provoked this writing. Both publications say so much about how contemporary Urhobo politics has entered the doldrums and how if this trend is not immediately arrested we as a people in spite of our majority status in Delta State will remain political underdogs.

The state of Urhobo politics at the moment is very pitiable and we seem to fall deeper and deeper into the abyss of political limbo.

The Urhobo remain the only majority group anywhere in the world that suffers from marginalisation when it has the majority vote which evidence has shown dwarfs votes from all other parts of Delta State put together. What is our political status today? We are politically and economically disempowered. We have been stripped of all political leverage and dignity and we have become the laughing stock of all.

Our people, the Urhobo people, saw the year 2015 as the year of achoja when all our political shortcomings, our fears, our sufferings, marginalisation and the injustices done to us will be remedied. But the present scenario, the happenings and events as orchestrated by the political class, only shows that we have not learnt our lessons and that more terrible and harsh socio-economic and political experiences await us.

The present crisis assailing the Urhobo nation as the countdown to 2015 gathers momentum is not only a function of the problem of the political elite, but also traceable to the questionable and less than altruistic role played by the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, in the political affairs of the Urhobo people in recent times.

One is not saying that the UPU should be quarantined from politics. What one is saying is that the UPU should represent Urhobo interest without ulterior motives and should be seen to be above board. However, as the race to 2015 began the UPU took sides with some Urhobo politicians and anointed two as their preferred Urhobo aspirants for 2015.

Our neighbours in Delta State laughed and rejoiced knowing that the two UPU favourites will not in any way enjoy the confidence or attract the votes of the common Urhobo man or woman on the streets due to their past political records. The two names the UPU chose played very prominent roles in selling off the electoral mandate won by an Urhobo, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru. They did it in 2007 and twice in 2011. How come these political sell-outs are the same people that the UPU selected as her favourite sons who should be Governor come 2015?

The Urhobo nation is in big trouble and the action of the UPU is about to backfire. I began this write-up by referring to two provocative publications. The first one is a report that a serving commissioner who pretends to be a governorship aspirant and who is among the two names shortlisted by the UPU has been on his knees begging Chief EK Clark to make him Deputy Governor to Tony Obuh, a rookie aspirant of Delta Igbo extraction.

The shame of this deed is on the UPU who chose the fellow. Why should Urhobo people not believe or feel that the UPU has derailed and is conniving with politicians to mortgage Urhobo political fortune? How come only political sell-outs are considered fit by the UPU.

The second infuriating publication is in the Vanguard of September 29, 2014. The publication was made by a self-styled Urhobo Media Group which has endorsed two Urhobo aspirants for the governorship. It is a very unfortunate thing to do. Deltans and indeed the Urhobo people know the man and the hand behind the Urhobo Media Group endorsement.

Urhobo people know their genuine political leaders, they know those who genuinely embody the Urhobo aspiration and ideals and at the right time the people will speak and make their choice.

Why will the Urhobo Media Group settle for somebody known for truncating the Urhobo will to produce the state governor.  The action of the UPU and the Urhobo Media Group will destroy Urhobo solidarity. The action is going to create a crisis of confidence because the Urhobo people who constitute the electorate will not follow them to the electoral battlefield.

Let them spend all the money, the Urhobo people know them and will make the right choice at the right time. How come the UPU is not bothered about the political antecedents of those they have picked as Urhobo choice.

With the present development is it still justifiable to blame Olori Magege, Ighoyota Amori, Monday Igbuya and other Urhobo sons who have been accused as working against the Urhobo interest by campaigning for Anioma candidates? Certainly nobody can blame them because those nominated by UPU also worked for an Itsekiri candidate at the expense of the Urhobo nation. How come UPU suddenly found them as worthy sons?

In the same manner, Magege, Amori, Igbuya and co will go to UPU after  the 2015 election and seek for forgiveness. They will  ask to be reconciled with UPU and UPU will oblige them. Is this how we will continue as a people? For how long can we survive this crisis of political confidence?

UPU must be responsive and be above board and ensure that there is no disconnect between it and the Urhobo people. It is not too late for UPU to cancel the endorsement. Urhobo has worthy and patriotic sons in Great Ogboru, David Edevbie, Otega Emerhor and others.

Johnson Ukochevwera, a political analyst, wrote from Effurun, Delta State.