Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; and the state party chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie have lamented the sudden collapse of a section of the Ohoro/Bomadi Bridge, early Monday morning.
The Ohoro/Bomadi Bridge was cut almost by half and endangered commuters plying the road, raising suspicion of sabotage of the planned APC ward-to-ward campaigns scheduled for Bomadi and Tuomo that same day.
Acccording to a state by the campaign council’s Director of Communications and Media Strategy, Olorogun Ima Niboro, the duo asserted that the collapse might have been due to programmed to prevent the APC campaign train from penetrating the riverine Ijaw areas of the state.
They however assured party members across the sate that no one can stop its presidential and governorship campaign from going round the state to tell the people the truth about the misgovernance of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.
At the rallies, Omo-Agege, who is also Deputy Senate President, expressed bitterness at the sufferings of the Ijaw people and promised to put a smile on their faces.
“As I was coming we saw that the Ohoro/Bomadi bridge has collapsed either from lack of maintenance or sheer sabotage. And yet we have a governor who promised prosperity for all. But there is no prosperity at all. Most painful is the fact that Delta State is a rich state where the Ijaw people have contributed greatly to the state and country’s economy. Over the past seven and a half years, the Okowa administration has collected over N3.5 trillion from FAAC (Federation Account Allocation Committee) allocations and borrowed over N400 billion. How much would it cost the state government to fix that bridge and do this road? That road is a deathtrap, cut to half, but Okowa and his stooge, Sheriff Oborevwori do not care, their concern is Owa-Alero, Okowa’s hometown, and the rest of us can go to hell.
“Since (former governor James) Ibori left, has there been any development in Bomadi and Burutu? And Burutu is a major contributor to the economy of Nigeria. Upon Okowa’s wickedness he wants to bring Sheriff (Oborevwori) to punish you more. Okowa has deprived you of comfort and development. We must stop him from being vice president because his ambition is treacherous”, Omo-Agege said.
He promised that when elected governor, he would fix the Gbaregolor, Ohoro/Bomadi and Akugbene bridges. He also promised to bring a tetiary institution to Ijawland.
“We commit to you that we will connect a 33KVA electric power line from Ughelli to Bomadi to light up this area that has been in darkness for over 30 years”, he assured.
Omo-Agege solicited votes for APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying that with his help as President, he would easily fulfill his campaign promises to the people.
On his part, Sobotie declared: “We saw what they did on the road and I want to assure you that no one can stop us from going round the state and telling the people the truth. No threat will stop us from going round to tell the people the truth and when they have known the truth, they will be free to use their PVC to remove the PDP from power”.
Earlier, the party chairman in Bomadi Local Government Area, Kayode Tinaka said that Omo-Agege was God-sent to wipe away their tears.
Another chieftain of the party in the local government area, Barrister Gabriel Yabaka accused Okowa of deceiving the Bomadi people when he promised to establish a polytechnic there but failed.
“This is the only road we have in Bomadi. It is in bad state. We have been appealing to him (Okowa) to fix it but he refused”, he said.
Meanwhile, Niboro has called on Deltans to take their future in their hands and enthrone tangible change in the state in the 2023 general elections.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja at the weekend on the progress of Omo-Agege’s governorship campaign, the campaign council’s Director of Communications and Media Strategy said that 2023 election is an opportunity for Deltans to make intentional decisions that directly impact their lives for the better. He said that poverty, despair, spiraling crime rate and avarice in public governance must come to an end in the state, and expressed hope that Deltans would do the needful on election day.
“Our people are overwhelmingly desirous of change that is tangible and enduring, and there’s no better opportunity to demonstrate how they feel than during the coming elections. The level of poverty and deprivation in Nigeria’s most blessed state is staggering and unacceptable”.
According to him, “the indices of development and transition from poverty globally always involve direct, intentional actions and steps taken by the critical mass of the people given the right opportunity.
“With the candidacy of Omo-Agege and the erudite programme he has designed, the opportunity for Deltans is now. Our people can follow a path of significant change and make a break from a past of sustained poverty in our land.
“Given the solid provisions and plans detailed out in the APC manifesto, Deltans can create something remarkable. Senator Omo-Agege’s economic programme re-envisions the parameters of development in the EDGE agenda, a programme that ends the alienation of the people,” Niboro said.
He added that the coming APC government would “establish a one-stop repository of business knowledge and information to both local and foreign investors on ease of doing business; make strategic investments to develop appropriate business operations; enhance infrastructure; reform the public service; cut the cost of governance, eliminate waste and deny corruption and other crimes room to thrive”.
The former presidential spokesman said that all citizens would easily connect with the Omo-Agege’s programme of “massive jobs creation, and general economic opportunities for the people through empowerment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
“Under an APC government, the people will witness the end of youth unemployment, second rate infrastructure, huge debts, rising crime and widespread poverty. We must therefore rise in one massive resolve to enthrone the APC’s solid programme as a sure way to pull our people out of despair and poverty and into prosperity and abundance.
“Our target is to create the right environment and support mechanisms, including structured state guarantees for escalation of employment and job opportunities, the enactment of laws that empower women and give relief to small holder farmers in rural communities”.
He assured that under Omo-Agege’s leadership Delta State would witness increased budgetary spending on social safety nets to cover more vulnerable citizens and guarantee steady economic growth.
