*Offers himself fit for big shoes to be left behind by Obarisi
*But for Senator Omo-Agege, Urhobo wouldn’t have felt impact of governance in past 8 years — Onoge
As the political race to 2023 general election gathers momentum, it has been declared that the Urhobo ethnic nationality of Delta Central Senatorial District cannot afford to lower the enviable bar of representation and achievement recorded at the national level in the past 7 years by the incumbent Senator, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege as he moves higher to take over the mantle of the governorship in the State.
This was made by a frontline senatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Ede Omueya Dafinone on the occasion of his formal declaration to contest for the Senatorial seat of Delta Central in 2023 last weekend in Ughelli, Delta State.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of party supporters that gathered in Ughelli to grace the occasion, Ede who is a scion of the legendary late David Dafinone dynasty, paid a glowing tribute to the current Senator representing Delta Central, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, as he eulogized his sterling performance in the past seven years in the Senate, saying that he not only offered effective and quality representation in the Senate, he also raised the bar on legislative representation to a new level.
According to him, the Urhobo nation cannot afford to lower the bar already set by Omo-Agege, adding that the gains that have accrued to the Urhobo nation in the past seven years, are not only enviable but are visible legacies that will be celebrated several years to come.
He said: “In just seven years in the senate, Omo-Agege pursued his vision to restore Urhobo greatness and improve the lives of all Delta Central Senatorial District residents with a sense of urgency and he did the hard work to make that vision a reality.
“He offered us effective and quality representation in the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Senate and raised the bar on legislative representation to a new level.
“The gains of the last 7 years are great and visible to all of us in terms of projects, sound legislations and empowerment of Urhobos, these are legacy achievements that will transform Urhobo land for many years to come.
“These accomplishments which demonstrated that doing good work matters, have laid a solid foundation for our future. Now we must build on and improve on that foundation, as Omo-Agege seeks the office of Governor of Delta State to implement a Pan Delta EDGE Agenda to Build A New Delta for the good of all Deltans.
“And now, with the sterling performance of the current Senator, His Excellency Ovie Omo-Agege, who has raised the bar of representation to an unprecedented prestigious office of the Deputy President of Senate, doing our people and our country proud, by serving as the most cerebral DSP ever, it has become incumbent on our dear Urhobo nation never to lower the bar, not at this stage, at least.”
Ede who is a world renown chartered accountant, boardroom player, technocrat, industrialist, politician and philanthropist, declared that he decided to run for the office of the Senate of Delta Central to enable him deploy his wealth of knowledge and experience to address the expectations and needs of the Urhobo people which, according to him, he is mindful of.
“I am running with the hope that the people of Delta Central Senatorial District will allow me to deploy my knowledge and experience as a Chartered Accountant, as the Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Promotion Group (MANEG) and Nexportrade Houses Limited, as a member of the Board of NEXIM Bank, as the Chairman of Sapele Integrated Industries Limited, as the Chairman of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and as a trustee of the Guild of Fine Artists, and most especially as a philanthropist which has prepared me to hit the ground running with an understanding of the issues that matter most to Delta Central and Nigeria, as well as the experience to make a difference in the Senate.
“In offering myself to represent our people, I am mindful of their expectations and needs which I understand very well, having served in various committees of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, whenever I am given the privilege to contribute my quota to the advancement of Urhobo Nation”, he said.
Ede identified some of the challenges confronting the Urhobo nation which, according to him, include creation of job opportunities especially for women and youths and insecurity, pointing out that as the next Senator to represent the District, he is poised to confront those challenges headlong as he prioritizes Urhobo nation in all his decisions.
“At the heart of the challenges we face as a district and a country, is the urgent need for jobs for our people, especially women and youth, as well as insecurity that is threatening our way of life.
I believe that the rising insecurity in Nigeria is a result of rising unemployment, especially among the youth.
“Now we must fight to create more jobs to solve the insecurity problem and harness the demographic dividend associated with the rising population. This requires a vibrant, diversified economy with a strong manufacturing base. And the task of our time is to seek bold new ideas, create the urgently needed jobs for our people and lift millions out of poverty.
“We must also adopt an export-led industrialisation strategy to revitalize our manufacturing base, agriculture, and help to create new jobs and economic growth.
“If elected I will campaign tirelessly to promote Nigerian-made products and work to enact laws to create an enabling environment for the manufacturing sector to thrive.
“I will also work with my colleagues in the Senate to enact a law that will make the federal government adopt a policy, to revitalize our seaports in the south, particularly the Okwagbe deep-sea and Sapele ports to promote the export of produce from the Niger Delta area and also decongest Lagos port.
“Additionally, I would be committed to promoting transparency and accountability in government financial management, environmental protection, the arts, gender equality, and women and youth empowerment.
“As a senator, I will always work with all stakeholders to determine the best possible manner to represent the district.
“Today, I’m even more committed to serving our people and contributing to the progress of Urhoboland. So, as the next senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, I won’t avoid any challenges, and I’ll put Delta Central and Urhobo Nation first in all of my decisions”, he assured.
Ede solicited for the votes of the delegates that will participate in the forthcoming party primary just as he called on all sons and daughters of Delta Central Senatorial district to cooperate with him in the task of sustaining, consolidating and building on the legacies of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, adding that the race has just started with his purchase of the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms of the APC.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Ede Dafinone Strategy Committee, Olorogun Barr. Adelabu Bodjor, in his opening address had said that the Urhobo nation cannot go on a reverse gear, having attained an unprecedented height through the instrumentality of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
According to him, Urhobo at the moment needs the best materials who will sustain the tempo of representation and development as provided by the Obarisi of Urhobo nation, adding that Chief Ede Omueya Dafinone will fit perfectly in the big shoe that will be left behind by Omo-Agege as he climbs higher to occupy Delta State Government House as governor in 2023.
He said: “The Urhobo nation cannot go on reverse gear. The best we can request is for somebody who can step into the shoes, no matter how big they are now and give quality representation to the Urhobo nation. And that person is no other than Chief Ede Omueya Dafinone.
Bodjor urged the delegates amongst the party members to prepare and cast their votes for Ede Dafinone, stressing that “in him the Urhobos shall have another good and effective representation.”
Also speaking at the occasion, a prominent leader of the APC in the State, Chief Tuesday Onoge, eulogized the sterling performance of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, adding that without him, the Urhobo nation wouldn’t have had any impact of governance in the State for the past 7 years.
He therefore craved that whoever that will take over the representation of Urhobos in the Senate in 2023 must be someone can, not only sustain the good works of Omo-Agege, but improve on his performance for the betterment of Delta Central, adding that the Senate matter is not a matter for jokers.
“Then came Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. Don’t forget that Omo-Agege just got to the Senate only eight years ago. And when Omo-Agege got to the place, it was then we knew that there are Senators and there are Senators.
“And if you see what Omo-Agege has done for us already in Urhobo in the last eight years, you will then know that to have another Senator is not just somebody who will go to Abuja and be a joker.
“Listen, if not for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, in these last eight years of PDP in Delta State, Urhobo would have not known that there is anything called government in this part of the world. And as a matter of fact, even Senators from other parts of the country, it is Omo-Agege that is now used as a benchmark and a reference point”, Onoge said.
The Fiesta Dome, Ughelli, venue of the declaration ceremony which was filled to capacity included other top APC chieftains such as Chief John Onojeharhor, Chief Barr. Abel Idigu, Chief Ogobene, Bishop Orovwuje, Chief Wiliki, Okakuro Cosmos Ighoraye, Mrs. Irri and several others.
