Delta State election: Unveiling APC deputy governorship candidate

Former Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi was recently named the running mate to Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2023 general election in the state.

Osanebi, a lawyer and three-time member of the State Assembly, hails from Beneku town in Ndokwa-East Local Government Area. His nomination was announced through a statement personally signed by by Senator Omo-Agege.

Omo-Agege had described the deputy governorship candidate as a man of impeccable character, serving as a three-time lawmaker in various committees which included Chairman, House Committee on Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission; Deputy Chief Whip; Chairman, House Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs; Chairman, House Committee on Culture and Tourism among others.

Who is Rt. Hon. Friday Ossai Osanebi?

1. He will be 42 years old on 7 October 1980.
2. He was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Ossai Osanebi.
3. He is nicknamed Otunba 1, Omenosa 1 (Someone who does good to everyone irrespective of tribal, religious leanings).

4. The lawmaker hails from Umuedem Quarters, Beneku Town in Ndokwa East Local Government Area.
5. He currently represents Ndokwa East Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly.
6. At age 41, he is the youngest legislator in Delta State House of Assembly.
7. At age 31, he was first elected as a State lawmaker in 2011, reelected in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
8. He was Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly from 2015 to 2019.
9. He is in his third term as a legislator.
10. The ranking lawmaker had his primary education at Eke Model Primary School, Kwale, Delta State.
11. He had his secondary education at Orogun Grammar School, Orogun.
12. He is a graduate of Material and Metallurgical Engineering from Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
13. As a grassroots politician, he connects freely with everybody, especially the youths and women across the three senatorial districts of Delta State.
14. He has held several leadership roles in the State Assembly which include Chairman, House Committee on Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC); Deputy Chief Whip; Chairman, House Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs; Chairman, House Committee on Culture and Tourism and Deputy Speaker.
15. The seasoned lawmaker is the pioneer National President, Ndokwa Youth Council.
16. Owing to his acts of uncommon philanthropy, former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan tagged him ‘Empowerment Master’.
17. In 2011, Osanebi attended a Public Governance course at the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies, London.
18. In 2012, he was at the University of Oxford, England for an Administration and Policy-making programme.
19. He also participated in the June 2016 edition of the United States Legislature Revenue Management and Budget Process organised by the International Law Institute, Washington DC.

20. In 2018, he undertook a Leadership Development programme organised by the London School of Economics and Political Science.
21. For his tremendous contributions to youth growth, community development and empowerment, Scream Award voted him for Man-of-the-Year in 2021.
22. He is a vibrant, focused, humble, diligent and upward mobile young leader with vast legislative business, general public governance and corporate management experience.
23. Trustworthy and God-fearing, he is a Christian and happily married to Mrs Ogechi Osanebi and they are blessed with children.