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Tag: Ovie Omo-Agege

  • Omo-Agege, Urhobo community mourn Sen. Eferakeya

    The Senator representing Delta Central, Ovie Omo-Agege and the Urhobo community have commiserated with the family of late Sen. Adego Eferakeya.

    Omo-Agege said that Nigeria has lost a great public servant who was a champion for dignity, accountability and transparency with his passing.

    The senator, in a condolence message he personally signed in Abuja on Wednesday, said he has lost an uncle and a mentor whom he learnt a lot from.

    The statement reads: “It was with profound sorrow that I learned of the death of Senator Adego Erhiawarie Eferakeya, who served as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Delta Central Senatorial District from 2007 to 2011.

    READ ALSO: Ovie Omo-Agege: Quality representation like never before

    “With his passing, our nation has lost a great public servant who was a champion for dignity, accountability, transparency; and in the fight against corruption in the 6th senate.

    “I have lost an uncle and a mentor whom I have learnt a lot from. I drew personal inspiration from his leadership, intellect and moral courage. He was never afraid to speak truth to power.

    “A man of honor and decency, he will be missed not only in Urhobo Land but by all Nigerians who respect integrity and courage.

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and his children. Urhobo mourn with them.”

  • Court judgement, an affirmation of people’s will, says Omo-Agege

    Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central, APC) has described judgement of the Federal High Court in Warri, which held he was the validly elected candidate as an affirmation of the will of the people of Delta state.

    In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Strategy, Godwin Anaughe, the Senator said the court only affirmed what was already known that Emerhor Oe’terga was not the candidate of the APC.

    The statement reads: “The judgement delivered by the Federal High Court Warri on the 2nd of April 2019 definitively refused and rejected all the claims of Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson and Ima Niboro in which they sought to be declared the Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta Central Senatorial district and Udu/Ughelli Federal Constituency respectively.

    “In doing so, the Federal High Court sitting in Warri, presided over by Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite acknowledged the obvious and validated what has been the true position all these while: Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson certainly does not have a legal right to the Delta Central Senatorial seat. Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is the Senator-elect having duly won the legitimate primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, held on October 3rd, 2018 and also won the general elections held on February 23rd, 2019, despite Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson’s working assiduously against APC in the senatorial election and ensuring that the party is defeated in his unit and ward.

    “The Federal High Court in its judgement upheld the statutory role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in monitoring activities of political parties, particularly the monitoring of primaries to elect candidates to contest the general elections.

    Read Also: Court upholds Omo-Agege’s election

    “The Court found as proof that in the primaries of the APC which INEC monitored, the winner is Senator Ovie Omo Agege and not Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson, a fact the Court said was admitted by Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson.

    “The Court also found that Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson being an aspirant who claimed to have won a primary election as against other contestants, improperly instituted his case when he refused to join other contestants as parties to the suit. That amounts to shaving their heads behind their backs.”

    The statement added:   “Not having joined Senator Omo-Agege and Rev. Francis Waive as necessary parties, the Court found the case to be incompetent.

    “On the merit of the case, the Court in its judgment found against Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson and held that he did not win the primaries of the APC conducted by the National Working Committee of the APC and monitored by INEC. The winner of the APC primaries conducted by the National Working Committee of the APC and monitored by INEC is Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

    “The Court then finally struck out the suit for being incompetent and lacking in merit. This judgement is a victory for all candidates of the APC in Delta State who fought so hard to achieve victory for our great party. It is a tremendous victory for democracy, rule of law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “It is a victory for the people of Delta Central Senatorial District who voted for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to return to the Senate as a ranking Senator to continue the good work he started three years ago. And it rebukes Emerhor Oghenetega Germanson’s attempt to steal the election and subvert the will of the people.

    “This judgement is also a moment of profound clarity following months of frenzied media coverage that tended to confuse and mislead the general public. We applaud the Court for its decision and for affirming what we already knew to be the will of the people of Delta Central Senatorial District.”

  • Delta Central senatorial battle: Omo-Agege in self-denial – Emerhor

    The leader of the Mainstream Delta All Progressives Congress (APC), Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has expressed confidence the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would soon withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and re-issue it in his (Emerhor’s) name.

    Emerhor, in a statement by his media aide, Aghogho Orotomah, referred to a recent judgement by the Federal High Court in Asaba, upheld the Cyril Ogodo-led executives as the lawful APC executive council in Delta state.

    The judgment also recognised the primaries held by the council, making Emerhor to declare INEC was already in the process of correcting errors made along the way to the elections in the state.

    The party leader, who emerged as the party’s flag-bearer for Delta Central Senatorial District in the primaries held by the Ogodo-led executive council, said the INEC, while issuing certificate of return to winners of the election in the state, refused to issue the certificates for three APC House of Assembly candidates in obedience to the Federal High Court judgement.

    Read Also: Appeal Court has not voided my election, says Omo-Agege

    He added the ones already issued to Senator Omo-Agege and Rev. Francis Waive would soon be withdrawn to be re-issued to the authentic candidates of the primaries conducted by the Ogodo-led executive council.

    “The Federal High Court, Asaba, made a specific order, order no 4 in the court enrolled orders, nullifying the full plate of NASS, Governorship and House of Assembly candidates list of Delta APC submitted to INEC through the Prophet Jones Erue Exco, which contained the following names as APC  senatorial candidates to wit:

    Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan for Delta South; Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for Delta Central and Hon Doris Uboh for Delta North.

    “Then order 5 went on to identify exhibit S and T as containing the list of the valid and authentic APC NASS, Governorship, and House of Assembly candidates for the 2019 general elections. The senatorial candidates contained in the court certified exhibits are as follows:

    Chief Micheal Johnny for Delta South; Olorogun O’tega Emerhor for Delta Central; and Chief Mrs Marian Ali for Delta North.

    “These enrolled orders have been served by the court bailiffs on INEC and INEC has begun the process of obedience to the order by refusing to give out the Certificate of Return to three affected candidates of the Prophet Jones Erue annulled list in Asaba on Wednesday March 27th 2019.

    “It is therefore obvious that the Certificate of Return already issued to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is in error and it is only a matter of time for it to be withdrawn by INEC and together with those INEC already withheld, re-issue same to Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and others.

    “Senator Omo-Agege has to be in self- denial to continue to grandstand that the Asaba FHC judgement does not affect his candidacy.

    “He did the right thing by attempting to seek leave of court to appeal the judgment as an impacted person but the Court of Appeal in Benin shut the door on him for sleeping on his right for the last six months and awarded cost against him.

    “Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, the valid candidate and Senator-elect for Delta Central awaits calmly his Certificate of Return from INEC.”

     

  • Ovie Omo-Agege: Quality representation like never before

    Blends of distinct chords make up life’s orchestra. Each chord comes with its own note and significance, but their essential mix gives a kind of musical harmony that lifts the human spirit. In life’s amazing symphony, the story of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, by his sweet chords and actions, gives meaning that is both mythical and sublime. His streaks in contemporary Nigeria firmament are no less profound, by whatever definition, and often likened to different interpretations of an elephant by the six Hindustan blind men which show how limited human faculties can be when describing enigmas that defy rationality. This is why he has been typecast aptly as the “Obarisi of Urhobo land. Meaning a king in diaspora)” who has now come home to liberate his people. Essentially, Omo-Agege is therefore both an enigma and a role model for many aspiring development enthusiasts, youths, businessmen and women.

    In the public sphere, not limited to Nigeria alone, perception plays a crucial role in the way we react to issues or do things on daily basis. The image we portray either of ourselves or environment is therefore very important to the response we get from others within social contexts. In other words, it is imperative to portray oneself in certain light for others to take one’s actions seriously. This is what is referred to as branding in corporate-political cycles. One man who by his dance of fate and training understands the underpinning principle of being in public glare selflessly and who premises his actions towards the ideals of effective leadership and constituency representation is Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; the voice of the Delta Central District constituents at the current Senate.

    His rise to prominence is not by sudden flight. He has really crossed the Rubicon; as a lawyer born to a celebrated judge of Nigeria extraction, who served in The Gambia, like father like son, Ovie Omo Agege performed well in the United States of America and later among others before his present portfolio was Executive Assistant to a Delta State Governor, a Commissioner in the same state and Secretary to Delta State Government. The man is simply a technocrat and not at the senate to warm the seat but to do the needful by presenting bills and righting wrongs whilst contributing his quota to the developmental aspirations of Nigeria.

    In his present calling, he has made unquenchable history by challenging the unpopular and indiscriminate suspension of National Assembly Members by their leadership without recourse to the constituents who elected them. It was a case which some lawmakers who were used to such recklessness saw in the beginning as “dead on arrival”, but Omo-Agege armed with his resilience and determination changed the narrative and today, all members of the National Assembly are proud beneficiaries of his successful exploit.

    So intrinsic are Omo-Agege’s offerings. More like well-tuned harps, or the nice pitch of violins in listening ears, his strides call peoples’ attention to the hope they inspire in collective psyche. His caper over the Delta’s sphere has left enduring cadences. The very reason he was called in 2015 to represent his people in the red chamber of the National Assembly, summation of which has been variously described as ‘quality representation like never before’.

    The desire to be an outstanding breed, quite distinct from others, inspired his super-curiosity and love for new challenges. This undergirds his stance to always give back to the society where his roots are traceable.

    The desire to contribute his quota to the development of Urhobo and Delta State at large has since become an enduring covenant between him and God. In his 2018 yuletide message to his people, he averred “2018 has been a particularly exciting year for the Urhobo nation. We made tremendous progress in our determined effort to regain our standing in the comity of ethnic nationalities and we are moving forward with confidence in our abilities to achieve greatness again”. What an inspiring note in a leadership needy nation!

    Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is a selfless public servant who do not only take stock of the needs of his people but also find means of putting smile in their faces. In less than four years at the Senate, he is been able to lobby and worked for the funding and commencement of work on the dualization of Sapele-Agbor-Ewu road, section 1&2 in Delta and Edo States, constructed/ supply and installed solar-powered water supply shemes complete with water reticulation pipes network each at Ugheli main market; Ophori town, Agbarho and Orogun in Ugheli North, Ugborikoko market and Uugborikoko in Uvwie, Orhuhoru in Udu and Abraka in Ethiope East.

    Not done, this Distinguished Senator designed and constructed two blocks of three classrooms with one toilet each at Ugono Primary school, Ugono, Orogun clan in Ugheli North. He designed, supplied and installed solar street lights each at Ibadan-Amukpe, Ejekimoni town and Amukpe community town hall road in Sapele LGA, Urede, Erovie quarters to Egbo quarters, Uwherun and Ugono in Ughelli north, Igun town in Ethiope West. He constructed primary healthcare center each at Omavovwe-Agbarha in Ughelli North and I rhodo II/Jesse in Ethiope West.

    His burning passion for progress saw him constructing a 500KVA transformer substation each at Uduere street, Otovwodo community and Agbarha junction in Ughelli North. He went further to construct 300KVA transformer substation each at Okorotumu street, Effurun in Uvwie, Osia junction, Isoko road by central mosques, Daniel Umukoro extension and Uloho avenue in Ughelli North. He also provided dental and ophthalmological equipments at the Mariere Memorial Central Hospital in Ughelli.

    Under his watch and influence, improvement and rehabilitation greeted the water scheme at Oghara, Agbaro Otor, Ugono, Orhomurum in Ughelli North, Okpara waterside in Ethiope East. The highly revered OBASIRI constructed solar water supply sheme with PS4000 each at mami market by army barracks, Effurun in Uvwie, Orhuwhorun, Aladja in Udu, Ewu, Eboh and Orrhomurum, Orogun in Ughelli North and Abraka in Ethiope East.

    The construction of Sanubi-Ugono-Orogum road in Ughelli North was his brainchild and he also embacked on the distribution of motorbikes, tricycles and grinding machines to his constituents under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Senator Omo Agege is now widely acknowledged to bring Delta State back to the political map of Nigeria in such an unprecedented manner never experienced before. This is why all Deltans are  rising in larger numbers to receive him everywhere he goes with interest and such interaction have seen then them giving lists of all their needs unattended to several years ago. In most of the communities he visited, people were so happy and expressed their total support to have him back in the Senate in 2019 now that he has been seen and adjudged an icon in Delta State.

    His actions and deeds at the national assembly and practical unbroken connection to his root clearly describes the quality representation never witnessed from his district and little wonder while even people from other senatorial districts in Delta State yearn for his return to the hallowed red-carpet chamber in 2019.

     

    • Isaac Otuorimuo, JP wrote this from Port Harcourt

  • Election: Lawmaker seeks support for APC, Buhari

    The Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ovie Omo-Agege, has urged Nigerians to support and vote for the All Progressives Congress  (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari in the coming general elections.

    The senator in his new year message said the general elections would represent a strategic moment in the country’s collective desire for a better future.

    While acknowledging the successes recorded by Buhari in areas of fighting insecurity,  anti-corruption, and reviving infrastructure; added that the president had also steadied the economy and improved the power sector.

    Read Also: Why President Buhari should be re-elected

    He however noted that there were still challenges to overcome including unemployment, killings across the country, but assured that the present administration was working tirelessly to improve all sectors.

    Omo-Agege also appealed to Nigerians to shun those who brought about the woes of the country through years of misrule and corruption.

    He said: “On the basis of how much the Buhari-led administration has achieved in less than four years, it is clear the country has overcome its worst days.”

    He also said he was full of confidence that the Urhrobo people would record greater success in their effort to achieve greatness and free Delta State.

     

  • Omo-Agege blames collapse of former DSC on Obasanjo/Atiku/PDP

    The inactivity and comatose state the Delta Steel Company (DSC) was subjected to for more than 20 years has been blamed on the policy failure of the People’s Democratic Party-led administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who disclosed this during his ward-to-ward campaign in some communities of Udu council area of Delta state, said former President Obasanjo and his vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, were reckless in their management of the circumstances that shut the critical steel company down.

    It would be recalled that the DCS, which has now been refurbished and privatised by the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Muhammadu Buhari administration and renamed Premium Steel and Mines Limited, was shut down for more than 20 years until ten months ago.

    Speaking during his campaign at some of the communities, including Opete, Ekete Inland, Ovwian, Ujevwu and Orhuworun all in Udu council area, Senator Omo-Agege said reeled out several reasons why the people of Udu must vote for President Buhari in the 2019 election, adding that the Atiku has nothing else to offer except more misery to people.

    He said the the rot created by the PDP presidential candidate and PDP government for more than 16 years in DSC is currently being corrected by the Buhari government, adding that the company’s pensioners and retirees who had been abandoned are now being paid their benefits.

    Read Also: PDP stalwart backs Omo-Agege

    The Senator also disclosed that the Udu people have every cause to vote for Buhari and the APC because of the government decision to complete the Udu-Itakpe railway project including the completion of the overhead bridges along the rail line in Udu and other parts of Urhobo land, which before now have become a hideout for criminal, stressing that “it is now possible for the people of to travel to Abuja from Udu by train provided by Buhari and APC.

    Omo-Agege also disclosed that the Amukpe-Agbor road, which had been abandoned by Obasanjo – Atiku and Goodluck Jonathan of PDP, is also currently being reconstructed by the Buhari administration, noting that Buhari has shown that he is a friend of the Urhobo.

    He said “in my capacity as your Senator, I cried to Mr. President to look at the plight of the Delta Central people concerning the state of DSC, the pensioners, the railway and the Amukpe Agbor  road and he approved them for me. These are some of the reasons you should vote for Buhari and all APC candidates in the 2019 election.”

     

  • ECOWAS protocol bars Buhari from signing Electoral Bill, says Ovie Omo-Agege

    President Muhammadu Buhari would have been in breach of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance if he had signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill , according to  Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central).

    Omo-Agege told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Article 2 of the protocol forbids member countries from making ‘substantial modification’ to their electoral laws less than six months to elections “except with the consent of a majority of political actors.”

    The senator argued with the elections less than three months away, signing the bill would violate the ECOWAS instrument.

    The presidential and National Assembly elections are slated for Feb. 16, 2019 while those for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for March 2.

    ”I have yet to see the president’s letter to the Senate, but this bill means so much to Mr President. On a good day he would want to sign it,” Omo-Agege said.

    He added: “However, without even seeing the reasons he has advanced so far, I am aware of the challenges posed by the ECOWAS protocol.

    “I don’t know if that is part of the reasons he has advanced, but with the bill coming two months or thereabout before the election, assenting to it will breach the protocol.”

    Buhari did not mention the ECOWAS instrument as part of his reasons for declining assent to the bill for the fourth time.

    The president’s latest decision came in a letter dated Dec. 6, 2018 and addressed to both chambers of the National Assembly.

    He said signing the amendment bill with elections close by could “create some uncertainty about the legislation to govern the process”.

    “Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the elections may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process.”

    Buhari asked the National Assembly to specifically state in the bill that the amended Electoral Act would come into effect after the 2019 general elections.

    Reacting to the development, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, who represents Delta North on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the reasons given by the president were “untenable”.

    His words: “It is not a good reason for him not to sign the bill because the Senate worked with INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) in preparing that bill.

    “If INEC felt otherwise, they would have advised us when we were working on it.

    “You are aware of the controversy that this issue of amendment of the act has generated, with people accusing the Senate of not wanting to amend the act.

    “We amended it, but he declined assent the first, second and third time; he made certain observations, which we agreed with.”

     

     

     

     

  • ‘Why Urhobo should return Omo-Agege to the Senate’

    Comrade Chuks Erhire doubles as the treasurer of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Delta State as well as the Director General of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege Constituency Office. In this interview with our Correspondent, FAITH YAHAYA, he alleges that that there is a gang-up against the Urhobo nation by some major players to emasculate the political prowess of scions of Urhobo in the state. He also highlights reasons why the Urhobo people should return Omo-Agege to the Red Chamber. He added that a vote for the APC governorship candidate in the state, Great Ogboru, is the best option for the economic emancipation of the people. Excerpts:

    Why do you think Senator Ovie Omo-Agege deserves to return to the Senate in 2019?

    It is evidently clear. When you are an incumbent and you are aspiring for re-election, the people have the opportunity of using your performance and antecedents in office as a basis for their decision. We are confident because we know that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has done very well in the three key areas of legislative representation. He has given voice to the Urhobo people; he has done very well in terms of representation. In the Senate, you cannot talk about senators without mentioning the name of Senator Omo-Agege. He has contributed very quality motions that are vital to the survival and development of Nigeria. He has embraced very key and fundamental reforms that have brought stability to our polity. The senator played a key role in the Electoral Law that is being reviewed. He co-sponsored that bill and by the time all those bills are assented to, of course, our elections will become free, fair and credible. You will recall that he also co-sponsored a bill on Electoral Offenders Commission. It is not enough for someone who is declared by the court as an electoral thief to lose the seat, hand over the mandate and walk away. For example, if a man goes stealing a goat and he is caught, of course, the owner of the goat will recover it but prosecution will follow. That is what Omo-Agege is pursuing at the Senate at the moment. He seeks to ensure that those people who are found out to be electoral thieves should not only lose their seats but should be made to face the consequences of the electoral theft.

    In specific terms, what impact has he made on the lives of the people in his constituency?

    If you look at the quality of projects he has initiated and brought to the Urhobo nation, you can’t help but commend his efforts and selflessness in putting the people first. There is no local government area in the whole of Delta Central where you do not have a project provided by Omo-Agege through his constituency projects or through his capacity to lobby key agencies and parastatals. For this and several other reasons, I think the Urhobo nation is very comfortable with what he is doing right now and they will not be ready to lose their best and free the space for charlatans to take over the seat.

    Would you say his performance is in any way better than that of his predecessors?

    The facts speak for themselves. I think I will leave that for the Urhobo people to judge but everywhere we go, you hear people say it. On the social media and the mainstream media, even people in the opposition parties also acknowledge the fact that Omo-Agege is first among equals for his quality representation of the Urhobo people. Listen, we give it to our brother, late Senator Pius Ewherido; he started excellently well but unfortunately, the cold hand of death snatched him away from us. If you take Senator Pius Ewherido aside, there is nobody you can compare with Omo-Agege as far as this political dispensation is concerned. He has done perfectly well; he has taken Urhobo nation into national political limelight. Beginning from 2019 when Buhari is re-elected, you will see what will become of the Urhobo nation in the national political space.

    It is not enough to praise him for his closeness to The Presidency, If all politics are local, then you must tell us how he has lifted the Urhobo nation. Do you have indices of the macro-economic impact his representation has had on the average Urhobo man?

    Of course, yes! You will recall that all through 2016 and 2017, Omo-Agege went across the length and breadth of Urhoboland, especially the markets across the Delta Central Senatorial district to do direct cash transfers to the very distressed traders. We were at the Effurun Market, Ekpan Market, Ugborikoko Market all in Uvwie local government area. In Ethiope East, we went to Eku Market, Kokori Market, Abraka Market. In Ughelli North we went to Orogun Market, in fact the markets in all the villages of Orogun.  We were at Ughelli Main Market and Agbarho Market. We were at Otokutu, we were at Ewu Market, and we had to go to Okpare Market and Okwagbe Market all in Ughelli South. In Ethiope West, we were at Oghara, Jesse, Mosogar. In Sapele e were at Amukpe Market and Sapele Main Market. There was no local government we did not go to. In Udu, we were at Ujugbale, Ubogo. In Okpe, we went to Orerokpe Market, Adeje Market. That N20,000 that Senator Omo-Agege was giving to mothers, sisters and our brothers who were traders in those markets, of course, had a great impact and the feedback we have received so far is mind-blowing. Imagine someone whose entire stock or ware is N5,000 and then, he or she suddenly gets N20,000. You have almost  changed the person’s life automatically. A woman that sells iced fish that cannot afford a carton of iced fish and was pairing with someone to sell and then you give her money that can buy almost two cartons; the impact of the exercise is great. If you go round the markets and interview the beneficiaries, you will be amazed at their responses and joy. I am thinking that we will do a small media get-together with a few of those persons who were given that token cash transfer at the various markets and you will be amazed at the feedback you will get. All of these things have helped to lift our people from hunger and poverty.

    So, what would you say inspires the senator to do all these things?

    Naturally, preparation is the key. You know, proper preparation precedes proper performance. Number two is capacity; the legislature is not a place for charlatans, you need some level of intellectual capacity to be able to properly engage in legislative business and besides, Omo-Agege is a man that has passion to serve. When you are driven by passion and  a sense of purpose, knowing that your people are backward, your people are the fifth largest ethnic nationality that has been consigned to the backyard in national political scene, you will go there with a sense of mission and purpose to say, this is what we need to do to bring back the Urhobo nation to where it ought to be in the national political space. So, he did not go there knowing not what to do and because he was driven by passion and he has the mental and intellectual capacity to pursue the legislative business, he went there straight away and began to engage. You will recall that eight months of his mandate were stolen by the political buccaneers in Delta State and by the grace of God through the court, he was able to recover the mandate. Thereafter, they also went back to work with the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to deny him the opportunity of being sworn in as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, two months even after the court had declared him as a senator. But as soon as he got there, he hit the ground running. Another thing I want to say is that Omo-Agege is privileged to have a very wonderful team. We are proud of the team that he assembled, the best hands that you can find in Urhoboland are today working together with him to ensure that the cries of Urhobo man are crystallized into ideas, motions and bills and all of that to take us out of the woods.

    No doubt, the election in the senatorial district will be tough with the calibre of candidates from the other parties, like Hon. Evelyn Oboro of the Peoples Democratic Party and Ovie Ugwanogho of the Social Democratic Party. Can Omo-Agege weather the storm?

    First, you have to understand that people go into business with different goals. In elections there are people whose goal is just to have their names on the ballot paper such that when you visit the Independent National Electoral Commission’s website, you will find their names there as  one-time candidates of political parties.

    What message do you have for the people of Urhoboland?

    To the Urhobo people, I need to let them know that there is a gang up against us. There is a conspiracy by a cabal in Delta State to destroy the political power of the Urhobo nation and they are doing it through economic strangulation. This was hatched some time in 2005 in Government House, Asaba, and since then, they have been consistently and dutifully executing this agenda to weaken the Urhobo nation politically. They are deceiving us, assuming Okowa wins, that in 2023 they will give power to Urhobo and I tell you it is the biggest lie. They have planned to hand over power to Ijaw in 2023. How do they want to achieve that? Recall that in 2007 when Ibori and his people had said that the power would go to Delta South that we had aspirants from Delta North, Delta South and Delta Central  Uduaghan was there, Senator Omo-Agege was there, Pius Ewherido was there, Ejaife Odebala was there, several Urhobo people aspired and Okowa was there too; Otega Emerhor, all of them from the three senatorial districts. Now in 2023, what do they want to do? They have strangulated all of them and that is part of the gang up to ensure that in 2023, no Urhobo person is able to rear his head to aspire for the PDP governorship ticket. So, they have their plans. What I need to tell the Urhobo people is the time is now for us to redeem ourselves. The time is now for us to come together to work and make Ogboru our governor in 2019. That their vote for APC in 2019 is a vote for the liberty of Urhobo nation, a vote for APC in 2019 will be a vote for the destruction of that evil plan against the entire Urhobo nation. I challenge them to tell me that this is not true and I will ask them if David Edevbie, who is currently the Commissioner for Finance, is being allowed to do his job as Commissioner for Finance. Ask David Edevbie if he can raise N100 million  for any election now. So, for the Urhobo people, please Senator Omo-Agege means well for you, he is here as your messenger and he is doing the job well. Urhobo people say, Omororioro oya she oro ke, meaning you sell gold to those who know its value. Omo-Agege knows the value of the mandate that has been given to him and that is why he is working day and night to ensure that he doesn’t disappoint the people. He will do more if he is given the chance in 2019.

  • Omo-Agege: Court to commence Saraki’s contempt trial Oct 18

    *’Remedy alleged wrong or appear in court to defend yourself,’ judge tells Senate President

     

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 18 for the commencement of hearing in the contempt proceedings initiated against Senate President, Bukola Saraki by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central).

    Omo-Agege initiated the contempt proceedings upon his claim that Saraki was withholding his entitlement, as a serving Senator, following the court’s nullification of his suspension by the Senate.

    The Saraki-led Sanate had, earlier this year suspended Omo-Agege, which suspension the court, in a May 10, 2018 judgement, set aside, ordered his reinstatement and the payment of all his accrued benefits for the period of the suspension.

    On Thursday, Omo-Agege’s lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN) told the court that his client’s application for Saraki’s committal was ripe for hearing.

    Iziyon prayed the court to hear the application since Saraki has allegedly chosen not to attend court or obey the court’s subsisting judgment.

    Izinyon, in the application, a Form 49, noted that while Omo-Agege was been allowed to resume at the Senate, Saraki had allegedly continued to flout the order directing that the applicant be paid all his entitlements.

    He said Saraki, in flouting the judgment, had refused to give an approval to the payment as ordered by the court.

    Ruling, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba said he would give Saraki another chance to either “remedy the alleged wrong” or appear in court to defend himself.

    Justice Dimgba agreed with Izinyon that his application was actually ripe for hearing.

    He noted that the court’s records showed that Saraki had been served with the motion on notice and hearing notice for the Thursday’s proceedings through a newspaper publication made on September 25, 2018 as ordered by the court.

    Justice Dimgba directed Izinyon to write Saraki and the Senate’s Legal Department, informing them that the court has scheduled October 18 for the hearing of the contempt proceedings.

    The judge said:”Upon this motion on notice dated and filed on August 15, 2018, praying for the committal of the Senate President to prison for contempt of court coming up before this honourable court today  for hearing; and after hearing Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN) with Hanatu Abdularim, Friday Izinyon, Alex Izinyon II, J.A Gesa, for the judgment/creditor/applicant urging that the court should proceed with the hearing;

    “It is hereby ordered as follows:

    *That indeed from the records of the court, the Senate President, the alleged contemnor, was served with the motion and hearing notice by advertisement as ordered by the court at pages 35 – 36 of The Nation Newspaper of September 25, 2018; this motion is therefore ripe for hearing.

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    *That in the interest of justice, and to give the alleged contemnor another opportunity to remedy the alleged wrong or even to appear to defend himself, and as a demonstration of the court’s commitment for justice, the court directs the applicant/judgment/creditor’s counsel to write to the alleged contemnor and the legal department of the Senate informing them of the next adjourned date.

    *That it will be useful out of abundant of caution that this letter is accompanied with a hearing notice being a court issued process.”
    Justice Dimgba thereafter adjourned to October 18 for “definite hearing.”

    The judge had, on May 16, 2018 dismissed the application by The Senate and Saraki, seeking a stay of execution of the May 10, 2018 judgment, which nullified the 90-day suspension imposed Omo-Ageg by the Senate.

    In dismissing the application, the judge was of the view that the application and its accompanying notice of appeal were based on a wrong notion of the judgment being challenged.

    The judge noted that the application failed to show that it was targeted at the court’s judgment of May 10, 2018.

    Justice Dimgba said, while the application sought a stay of the judgment in which all the plaintiff’s prayers were granted, the May 10 judgment did not grant all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.

  • Delta: Emerhor Challenges Omo-Agege to Direct APC Primary

    Delta’s All Progressives’ Congress (APC) leadership tussle may be gaining momentum, as leader of the party in the state, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, has set out a challenge to Delta Central Senator, Barr. Ovie Omo-Agege, to contest for the party’s senatorial ticket through a direct primary.

    This was revealed in a statement issued to media aide to Olorogun Emerhor, Mr. Abraham Orotomah, on Saturday.The statement also accused the incumbent senator of verbally assaulting Urhobo elders and chiefs for persuading and buying the party’s chieftain, Emerhor, the senatorial ticket to enable him contest come 2019.

    Wondering when Omo-Agege became a diehard supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, given his association with former president Goodluck Jonathan, it penned Omo-Agege as playing a “con game” by calling his political superior “anti-Buhari”, assuring that Emerhor’s bid to wrest the senate seat from him will not waver.

    Further noting the Senator’s role in fast-tracking the programmes of the president, the statement said this however does not make him sole supporter of the APC in the state.

    Parts of the statement read thus: “Today, Omo-Agege has the fawning temerity to describe Olorogun Emerhor and the growing sea of Mr. President’s supporters in Delta as anti Buhari, simply because he thinks this is how to hoodwink Abuja and get an automatic ticket back to the Red Chamber.

    “But it would not work because President Buhari and his team are far more sophisticated and politically discerning than Omo-Agege and his ilk.

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    “Olorogun Emerhor hereby challenges Senator Omo-Agege to a contest for the APC senatorial ticket through a free and fair direct primary. Let Senator Omo-Agege avail himself of this opportunity to prove that he can win in a transparent internal democratic contest within the party, rather than run around Abuja seeking an automatic ticket through indirect primaries.

    “Olorogun Emerhor is not moved by threats of fire and fury. Omo-Agege should reserve that, if he may, for our common foe, PDP, who Olorogun Emerhor prays Omo-Agege is truly interested in dislodging from Delta State, given his previous relationship with them as SSG and executive assistant to a PDP governor.

    “For now, it will suffice for Senator Omo-Agege to climb down from his arrogant high horse and test his acceptance with Delta Central APC followers in the upcoming senatorial direct primaries”, the statement said.