The Urhobo Lawyers Congress, on Sunday, 30th of November 2025 warned the Urhobo Progress Union Electoral Committee that strict adherence to Section 10.1 of the UPU Constitution is mandatory for the upcoming elections and said any unauthorized delegates or altered numerical compositions will invalidate the vote, according to a statement issued by Barr. Akpojotor Efemena, PhD.
Efemena said the Constitution provides an exact structure for the Annual Urhobo National Congress and does not permit revisions, additions or omissions by the Electoral Committee. He said all members of the National Executive Council, Board of Trustees, Forum of President-General of Kingdom, Council of Representatives and 20 delegates from each of the 24 kingdoms are automatic delegates who cannot be screened out or replaced.
He said diaspora branches are limited to four delegates in total and only two principal officers of the recognized socio-cultural group outside Urhobo land are permitted. The Constitution also caps the Women’s Wing and Youth Wing at five delegates each.
Efemena said any alteration of these fixed numbers would render the Congress improperly constituted and invalidate accreditation, voting and the full outcome of the Dec. 5 election.
“The numbers are fixed. They are binding. They are not subject to the Electoral Committee’s discretion,” Efemena said in the statement. He called on the committee to publish a delegate list that matches Section 10.1 exactly.
He said any deviation from the Constitution would amount to an illegal reconstitution of Congress and could lead to a challenge of the election’s legitimacy.
