Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has challenged his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to a public debate on their stewardship to the Urhobo people of Delta Central senatorial zone.
Omo-Agege represents the zone in the Senate where he is also Deputy President, while Oborevwori is the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
According to a statement by Director of Communications and Media Strategy, APC campaign council, Olorogun Ima Niboro, Omo-Agege threw the challenge on Monday at Orerokpe, headquarters of Oborevwori’s Okpe Local Government Area (LGA), where the ongoing ward-to-ward campaign of the APC started for the new week, continuing on to Aghalokpe and Adeje.
“I hereby use this opportunity to challenge Sheriff Oborevwori, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and governorship candidate of the PDP to a debate on national television to give account of our stewardship so far to the people we represent”, the APC governorship candidate said.
Omo-Agege said that the 2023 governorship election in the state is basically between APC and PDP and he therefore expected Oborevwori and himself – both Urhobo – to submit the report cards of their stewardship to their constituents, in the full view of Deltans and Nigerians in general.
He said that it would be interesting for Oborevwori, as Speaker and No 3 citizen of the state, and with all the development projects sited by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in his own Owa-Alero village, to say what he brought to his own constituents, even with all the loans he approved for the governor.
Omo-Agege demanded an explanation on how N20 billion approved and expended on the abandoned PTI/Orerokpe/Eku/Abraka Road by the Okowa administration, of which Oborevwori is a key member, was spent. He also demanded to know why the Orerokpe Stadium was abandoned.
“Painfully, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa brought Speaker Oborevwori as candidate of the PDP to cover his tracks but all ethnic groups in Delta State are opposed to the bad choice of Okowa for a successor”, he said.
The APC candidate committed to the completing the PTI/Orerokpe/Eku/Abraka Road, construction of the bridge that links Agbarho and Orerokpe, and ensuring that the abandoned Sapele Technical College is revived when elected governor.
Earlier, Omo-Agege’s running mate, Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi had noted that the appropriation of all funds in the state is by the Speaker, but lamented that Oborevwori, an Okpe son, could not use his office to attract anything significant to his constituency.
The APC candidate for Okpe state constituency, Hero Omwirhven said that the House of Assembly is not a place “you send touts to”, and promised to be dedicated if elected.
“I will carefully read through all documents that come my way before signing. I will not sign away the fortunes of my constituents”, he pledged.
APC senatorial candidate for Delta Central, Chief Ede Dafinone said that all candidates of the party are credible and it was time for Deltans and Nigerians at large, to enjoy good governance.
At Aghalokpe, Omo-Agege paid a visit to his maternal family compound where prayers for his victory at the governorship election were offered by the head of the Onokpayunu family, Pa Akika Adota.
