The Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said that it is time to liberate the state from those he described as “sycophants and cheerleaders, who, in the face of clear evil being meted to the state”, continue to cheer on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his cohorts in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In continuation of his ward-to-ward campaign, the Deputy Senate President was at Gbokoda, in the Itsekiri waterways, on Thursday where he said: “During the two-hour by boat ride from Warri to Gbokoda, all that came through my mind is that this is an oil bearing area. The bulk of the money we receive by way of 13 per cent oil derivation is a function of this local government, Warri North. But look at the area, is there any development that is commensurate with your contribution?
“In spite of this marginalization you still have some Itsekiri people clamouring that wherever Okowa goes they will go. Somebody is using your money to enslave you and you are clapping and dancing for him? It is your contribution to the national economy that qualified Delta State to receive N3.5 trillion, which Okowa has collected for the past seven-and-a-half years and on top of that, Okowa and Sheriff (Oborevwori, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, who is PDP governorship candidate) have borrowed over N400 billion.
“Okowa didn’t consider any portion of the Itsekiri nation important enough to site a tertiary institution. Why are people like Michael Diden (Ejele) and Emmanuel Uduaghan not angry and are dancing after Okowa?
“I am angry and I know the Itsekiri people are angry. You have a chance to remedy this problem and make sure that everything that PDP and Okowa represent are chased away on election day.
“I am certain that Okowa has not stepped a foot on Gbokoda and he has been governor for seven and a half years. Meanwhile, this is where the crude is produced. He won’t even come here to see the very deplorable conditions the people are living in.
“When I become governor, I will develop the Itsekiri nation. With the collaboration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, your son in-law, as president, we will reactivate the Koko, Burutu and Warri ports. I will make sure that you have the necessities of life.
“A two-hour boat ride to Warri, say, for a woman in labour it would be very risky for mother and child. We will build hospitals so you do not need a boat ride for two hours to get medical attention. Take it from me, when I become governor, you will get electricity so that our people can be happy and enjoy their lives again, ” he pledged.
The APC House of Assembly candidate for Warri North, Hon David Yinka Atie; youth leader of Ajamita, a neighbouring community to Gbokoda, Bawo Kutu; Public Relations Officer of Gbokoda community, Engr Olley Endurance; and Prince Engr Evans Omatsogunawa all expressed hope that Omo-Agege’s visit would usher in great things to the community
“This has never happened before in the history of politics in our local government area, that we have a governorship candidate come to the ward level”, Atie said.
“He is the first governorship candidate to come here. Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the last person to come here in 1979 and his visit brought many good things and we are sure this epoch making visit of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege will bring great things to us”, Endurance remarked.
Coroborating, Omatsogunawa, an indigene of Gbokoda, said Awolowo was the first national figure to campaign in Gbokoda, and when he came he identified with the people.
Itsekiri political leaders who received Omo-Agege included Chief Ayiri Emami, Prince Yemi Emiko and Engr Tuoyo Omatsuli.
Earlier, the Chairman of the APC in Warri North local government area, Omatseye Asabase pledged to deliver all candidates of the party during the 2023 general elections.
