Urhobo seek return to Midwest region

The Urhobo have called for the restructuring of the polity, saying that regionalism and resource control will prevent disharmony. They also demanded a return to the old Midwest, recalling that the old zoning arrangement was better.

A communiqué by the Urhobo Renaissance Movement, (URM), a body comprising of Urhobo professionals at home and in the Diaspora,  lamented the absence of any Urhobo in the Federal Executive Council and other federal agencies, despite the ethnic nationality’s contribution to the national purse.

The statement by Professor Hope Eghagha – Coordinator, AVM Frank Ajobena, Professor Joseph Abugu, Dr (Mrs) Cassidy and Mr. Lexzy Ochibejivwie also lamented what it described as the relegation of the ethnic nationality in the politics of Delta State.

It reads: “It is our considered view that the political structure of the country as currently constituted cannot meet the hopes and aspirations of our people. The resources in our God-given homeland are exploited and deployed to other parts of the federation. For example,  Kokori in Urhoboland which is reputed to produce the smoothest crude oil in the country’s wells has been left prostate for decades caused by oil exploitation activities.

“In the proposed re-structuring the Urhobo nation votes to return to the Mid-Western Region arrangement. This will guarantee equity and fairness through devolution of power to the Regions. However, in a States-based Federal Republic, we call for the creation of a true Delta State in accordance with the recommendation of the National Conference in 2014.

“Central to restructuring is the issue of Resource control. By this, we mean that economic resources within every State should be harnessed and controlled by the State in which they are derived with a clear-cut contribution formula to the Central Government. A nation where resources are exploited from one region for the development of others is inequitable and can never create peace.

The post Urhobo seek return to Midwest region appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.