Deputy President of the Senate and the All-Progressives Congress APC governorship candidate for Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has lambasted the state’s Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, over his role in trading off the office of the President which has been zoned to Southern part of Nigeria, to the North for the office of a vice president, describing him as worse than the Biblical Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver.
Omo-Agege who stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the umbrella body of the Urhobo Nation, the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, noted that Okowa did not just betray entire Southern Nigeria, he has positioned himself to benefit from his crime to become the vice president if PDP wins the presidential election next year.
He lambasted the governor for putting his political ambition over and above the rotational principle, thus creating the tendency for instability in the country, just as he described Dr Okowa as a traitor for accepting to run as Vice Presidential Candidate to Atiku Abubakar in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
Omo-Agege recalled that Okowa was among the governors who agreed that power should be rotated to the south based on the principle of fairness, justice, and equity, pointing out that accepting to be the running mate of a northern candidate was a stab in the back of the south.
“After eight years of the north, the President comes to the south, the VP to the north. After another eight years, the President goes to the north, the VP to the south. It is established. Though not written in the Constitution but, it has become a convention like we have power rotation here among the three senatorial zones.
“Now, after Buhari’s eight years as President, some of us went to him to know his thoughts about where the Presidency would come from. And the President made it very clear that after his eight years, the next President must come from the South.
“It didn’t end there. All the Northern governors of APC extraction agreed that it is the turn of the South. Before this decision was taken, our governors in Southern Nigeria met in Asaba. These are governors of different political parties. Okowa was the host, he gave them food and drinks; they signed an agreement. He read the communique. As he was doing so, he didn’t even allow the ink to dry before he betrayed them”, he said.
The Senator representing Delta Central further accused Okowa/Peoples Democratic Party PDP government of increasing the debt burden of the state from N80 billion to over N400 billion and counting, with next to nothing to show for it.
He said: “And on top of this betrayal, the Okowa-led administration is amassing loans every day. When Governor Uduaghan left office, he left N80 billion in debt obligation and people were shouting. Today, it’s about N400 billion. And if these loans are used for something you can see, nobody will quarrel with that.
“Some people have also said that ‘You are the Deputy Senate President, Buhari has been taking loans. Yes, I can tell you what those loans are being used for. Those loans are tied to projects. They are tied to the completion of rail projects, Lagos-Ibadan Express Road, Abuja-Kaduna Road, Second Niger Bridge and so on. Which projects here are these loans tied to? The only project we now know that the loans are tied to is the execution of PDP’s 2023 presidential election so that Okowa can emerge as VP”.
The President-General, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide, Olorogun (Dr) Moses Taiga in his address, spoke glowingly of the APC gubernatorial candidate, stating that “posterity will accord you your rightful place in the history of our dear Nation. We admire your eloquence and boldness in presenting issues and Bills at the National Assembly.
“You have also helped to strengthen the relationship between the Urhobo Nation and her neighbours in Delta State, the South-South, and across the country through your synergic and cordial relationship with groups and personalities.
“We are proud of your role in the past Constitutional Review exercise, and impressed with your efforts in the Nigerian Electoral Act of 2022, which has brought renewed hope to the country’s Electoral Process.
“The UPU wishes to particularly thank Your Excellency for powering the Urhobo Nation with solar-powered streetlights, installing new transformers, and replacing obsolete ones across Urhobo Land. I wish to use this opportunity to plead with you to help the UPU with a Transformer, Generating Plant, and solar-powered streetlights at the Urhobo House, Uvwiamuge, and the Urhobo Cultural Centre, 18 Okere Road. Warri.
“The UPU also thank you for empowering Urhobo people, particularly the youths and our worthy professionals with jobs in Federal establishments. We also thank you for intervening and ensuring justice in instances when the rights of an Urhobo man are denied and brought to your notice.
“We are grateful for your renovation and construction of new classroom blocks, including furnishing many secondary and primary schools across Urhobo Land.
“Your Excellency, having listened to you, I must say that you are eminently qualified for the Office you seek. You remain the first Urhobo to occupy the exalted office of the Deputy President of the Senate and you have distinguished yourself in that position. As you aspire to be Governor of Delta State, I advise you to go around the nook and crannies of the Urhobo Nation and the entire State, marketing yourself to the people and convincing them to vote for you”.
Some members of the UPU present included Chief (Capt.) Anthony Onoharigho, 1st Dep PG; Chief (Sir) Francis Ifie, 2nd Dep PG; Chief Kenneth Iwhewhe, National Secretary; Chief Osiobe Okotie, ex-1st Deputy PG; Chief Isaacs Itebu, National Legal Adviser; Chief Abel Opuidi, National Treasurer; Hon. Abel Oshevire, National Publicity Secretary; Chief Mrs Meg Atano, Asst National Pub Secretary; Chief (Dame) Christy Siakpere, President, Ewheya R’ Urhobo (UPU Women Wing), Chief Mrs Grace Akpodiete, Asst. National Fin. Sec and Chief (Mrs.) Beatrice Olori, 2nd Deputy President, Ewheya (UPU Women Wing).
Others are Chief (Mrs) Elizabeth Odjugo, 3rd Deputy President, Ewheya Urhobo (UPU Women Wing); Chief Wilson Ovuoyarevbie, Member, Council of Reps, UPU; Chief Barack Uzor, Member, Council of Reps, UPU; Ms Excellence Miller, Member, Council of Reps, among others.
Senator Omo-Agege was accompanied by his running mate, Rt. Hon Friday Osanebi; the Delta Central APC Senatorial Candidate, Chief Ede Dafinone; APC Chieftains, Chief Paulinus Akpeki and Chief Halims Agoda; members of the state Campaign Council, Dr Chris Oghenechowen, Olorogun Ima Niboro, Dr Ominimini Obiuwewvi, Mr Chuks Erhire and Dr Ruky Ugwumba.
