A group of Urhobo leaders has called for equity and fairness to guide the rotation of the Delta Central senatorial seat ahead of the 2027 general elections, rejecting arguments based on an Eastern and Western Urhobo political divide.
The position was contained in a statement issued in response to an article by Chief Williams Makinde titled “Omo-Agege Is on Track and Will Continue to Work for All Urhobo,” which itself reacted to an earlier intervention by Chief Hon. Julius Eguvwebere on the issue of zoning within the senatorial district.
The leaders argued that discussions about rotation should be anchored on existing federal constituency structures rather than what they described as outdated classifications of Eastern and Western Urhobo.
According to the statement, Delta Central Senatorial District is politically structured around three federal constituencies: Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency; Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie Federal Constituency; and Ethiope Federal Constituency. They maintained that equitable representation must reflect this arrangement instead of historical divisions that no longer align with present political realities.
The signatories criticised attempts to justify what they described as uneven representation based on regional blocs, insisting that such arguments overlook internal political dynamics within local governments and state constituencies.
They further contended that representation since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 has favoured certain areas more than others. The statement noted that the Ughelli axis has collectively held the Senate seat for about 20 years, while the Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie axis has had significantly fewer years of representation.
The group questioned calls for the senatorial ticket to return to constituencies that had already enjoyed extended tenure, stressing that fairness requires broader inclusion across the district.
They also rejected suggestions that political offices should be determined along kingdom lines, describing such reasoning as inconsistent with established political practice. According to them, senatorial and governorship positions in Delta State have historically been rotated along senatorial districts, local governments and federal constituencies rather than traditional kingdoms.
Addressing claims surrounding political compromises ahead of the 2023 elections, the leaders said decisions taken by political actors at the time were based on strategic considerations within party structures rather than any East–West Urhobo arrangement.
The statement also raised the issue of leadership reciprocity, urging former Deputy Senate President Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to support the emergence of new leaders within the Urhobo nation. They argued that sustainable leadership involves creating opportunities for others rather than concentrating political advancement within a single axis.
Citing past political figures, the group highlighted examples of leaders who, they said, invested in mentoring and promoting emerging politicians, describing such efforts as essential for long-term political growth.
The leaders called on Urhobo political stakeholders to adopt a more inclusive and forward-looking approach as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, emphasising that unity, fairness and balanced representation should remain central to decision-making.
They concluded that Delta Central politics must move beyond sectional narratives and embrace an equitable framework capable of giving all parts of the district a genuine sense of belonging.
The statement was signed by Chief Philip Eyagomare, Chief Dave Emaniru, Chief Goddy Otubuere, Chief Tony Erukeme, Chief Tony Onyokoko, Archbishop Philip Orovwuje, and Sir Henry Esiri.
