The Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has alleged that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections; and the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who is the incumbent Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly are only seeking public offices to evade prosecution for criminal mismanagement of public funds accruing to the state.
According to a statement by the Director of Communications and Media Strategy of the state’s APC campaign council, Olorogun Ima Niboro, the Deputy Senate President said at a Townhall meeting with TEKAN/ECWA bloc of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Warri on Saturday that if the duo are elected as vice president and governor, the constitutional immunity that comes with their positions would allow them evade prosecution for alleged misappropriating over N3.5 trillion that the state received in the past seven years and half years.
Electing both men to those offices, Omo-Agege maintained, would also enable them escape justice for plunging the state into a further N400 billion debt, all with nothing to show for the fund.
The APC governorship candidate said that, while he has nothing personal against them, it is clear to all that Okowa’s priorities as governor “are childish and inane; his judgement on issues wrongheaded, and his choice of Sheriff an obvious non starter”.
He insisted while there are constitutional institutions that address public corruption, “the most urgent task when you believe that your political leaders are corrupt is to vote them out”.
“When I say Okowa and Sheriff are corrupt, I say so because there is nothing to show for the over N3.5 trillion they have received in the past seven and half years. And if the people of Delta State agree with me, they should make sure Okowa does not become vice president and Sheriff, governor of Delta State”.
Omo-Agege assured that he would not witchhaunt anyone when elected governor, stating there is enough wealth accruing to the state to expand its economic base, and more than enough to run its affairs.
“I am a public servant who want to render service to my people by becoming governor, and you will not regret making me your governor. When you chest out for me and I emerge governor, you will not regret it”, he said.
On behalf of TEKAN/ECWA leaders across the state, the head of the CAN bloc, Revd Samson Ichi assured Omo-Agege of their prayers. “We are not partisan, our role is to pray for you, any time you need us, call upon us and we will pray for you”, he said.
At an interactive session, Omo-Agege cleared the air on issues concerning the award of Amukpe/Uromi Road saying by his effort, President Muhammadu Buhari has recently approved the re-construction of the road and the contractor will soon go back to site.
He described Warri as the pitiable swamp city of Nigeria and promised to invest heavily on urban renewal when elected governor.
He also pledged to engage Julius Berger to handle the construction of Ughelli/Asaba and Warri/Agbor roads and ensure that local content law is enforced to provide job opportunities for the youths of the State.
Omo-Agege also engaged the state chapters of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), and the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria of Agbarho and Oghara over the weekend.
He urged PFN to encourage their members to vote for all APC candidates, including its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and himself.
He said that the church can only benefit with Tinubu as president, because “his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and five of their children are Christians”.
Omo-Agege added that Tinubu’s wife is also a proud daughter of the state who deserves Deltans’ support in the contest to elect her husband president in 2023.
