With just hours remaining until the highly anticipated national election of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), a significant cloud of doubt has been cast over the entire process. The group Project Rescue Urhobo (PRU) has issued a stern warning, declaring the forthcoming exercise fundamentally compromised due to what it describes as widespread and repeated violations of the UPU Constitution.
Allegations of Systemic Constitutional Violations
In a strongly-worded statement released on Thursday, December 4, 2025, PRU's leadership accused the UPU's National Executive Council (NEC) and the appointed electoral committee of systematically undermining the union's foundational laws. The statement was jointly signed by the group's Convener, Noble Otadaferua; its Secretary, Daniel Etaga; and its Publicity Secretary, Peter Darah.
According to PRU, these actions have severely damaged the transparency, fairness, and overall integrity of the electoral process scheduled for December 5. The group claims the crisis originated from a deliberate refusal by the NEC and the electoral committee to publish essential information mandated by the union's constitution ahead of the crucial vote.
Key Areas of Contention and Secrecy
The allegations center on several specific breaches. Firstly, PRU states that the bodies failed to release the official register of branches and sub-branches as required by Article 21.2(h) of the UPU Constitution. Instead of publishing this list, PRU alleges that the committee began secretly manipulating and altering branch structures, a move that has sown confusion and created avenues for potential voter outcome manipulation.
Secondly, the group highlights serious issues with the delegates' list. PRU claims the list was compiled outside the constitutional guidelines stipulated in Article 10.1, even including delegates from branches allegedly less than twelve months old. Furthermore, this critical list was released very late and deliberately kept hidden from aspirants, robbing them of the fundamental opportunity to verify its contents or raise objections.
PRU also accused the electoral committee of disregarding transparency rules under Article 22.2(h) by failing to release electoral guidelines on time, publishing them abruptly, and withholding them from those contesting positions. The committee is alleged to have acted "as though above the Constitution," engaging in practices such as attempting to unlawfully disqualify aspirants, altering approved timelines without authorization, and making decisions that fall outside its official mandate.
A Call for Action and Credibility Concerns
The cumulative effect of these alleged violations, PRU stresses, is devastating. The group argues that the election cannot possibly be free, fair, or credible under the current circumstances. These actions, they say, have eroded neutrality and fairness through selective information sharing and hidden procedures, directly contravening the UPU's core values of unity.
In light of these grave concerns, Project Rescue Urhobo has issued a clear call to action. It demands the immediate publication of all branches and sub-branches, the full release of the delegates' list, a proper verification and publication of eligible branches, and clear communication of accreditation procedures before the Congress commences. The integrity of one of the most important events in Urhobo socio-cultural life now hangs in the balance.
