The people of Urhobo kingdom in Delta Central Senatorial district on Saturday endorsed Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege second term senatorial bid.
The endorsement was given during a constituency town hall organized by the senator over the weekend. The event was put together to brief constituents of his stewardship in the two years and nine months of being in the National Assembly.
The event was well attended by various segments of the constituency including traditional rulers, market women, the clergy, youths and different associations and pressure groups.
In his remark, Senator Omo-Agege said he was overwhelmed by the turn out of constituents from the various local government councils that make up the district.
According to him, “it gives me great pleasure and sense of responsibility to stand before the Urhobo nation to present the report of my stewardship to the very good people of Delta Central Senatorial District, whose gracious and generous mandate in the 2015 general elections I exercise today on their behalf.
“Today, I’m proud that we have kept our promises and upheld our part of the bargain. Whether on the floor of the Senate or outside, the Urhobo voice was heard loud and clear.”
Giving an account of his stewardship earlier, Sen. Omo-Agege he stated that he has sponsored eleven bills, several motions and contributed robustly on several national issues on the floor of the Senate.
He also said he has attracted forty three (43) federal projects through the yearly zonal intervention (constituency) projects scheme which entitles to him about N220million worth of projects each year.
Omo-Agege, who is vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine and Land Transportation, said 24 out of the 43 projects were completed and being put to use while work was still on going on the others.
He pleaded with those who were yet to benefit from his zonal intervention (constituency) projects scheme to be patient as plans were already in place to factor them into the 2019 budget.
Speaking on the issue of herdsmen versus farmers clashes which have led to killings and destruction of farmlands in some part of the Urhobo nation, the senator stressed that security agencies ought to live up to expectations.
He said: “These people you keep referring to as Fulani herdsmen are not the herdsmen that we use to know; these are criminals and should be treated a such. The Fulani farmers crisis is not about Atiku or Buhari; it is failure of law enforcement agencies. The security agencies must ensure the laws in our books are used.”
He decried what he described as the under-performance of the present Delta State government and charged his people to align themselves with the party in power at the centre.
“The Urhobo people have decided that this time around they would align themselves with mainstream politics. Sending me back to the senate as a ranking senator, with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja and Chief Great Ogboru in charge of Asaba would strengthen me to do more for the Urhobo people”, he said.
Many of those who spoke expressed satisfaction with his representation and assured the senator of their unflinching support for a second term.
A motion for the second term endorsement was moved by Mr. Peter Nikoro from Sapele who in the typical parliamentary parlance, put the question, “those in support of Senator Omo-Agege to be reelected to represent the people of Delta Central Senatorial District say yes, and those against say no”.
The hall was greeted with a thunderous “yes, we want him to go back”.
In a remark, Chief Thomas Uduaran from Ewhu in Ughelli South local government area praised the achievements of the lawmaker. He said: “We have never had it like this in the history of Orhobo nation; Senator Omo-Agege has performed beyond expectations and we the people of this senatorial district are saying ‘carry go’”.
Also Princess Yvonne Damaobakpolor, the president of Versatile Group for Gender Sensitivity and Good Governance praised the senator for his numerous achievements and scored him ninety eight percent over hundred.
She said: “On behalf of me and my group we want to thank the senator for empowering our women and creating jobs for our teeming youths. You have performed excellently and I stand tall to say carry go his excellency.
“We score the the senator ninety eight percent over hundred. However, we urge the senator to revive the Sapele, Warri, Onitsha and Port Harcourt seaports. If you can lobby the south south senators and come together as a force to ensure these ports work again then there would be enormous jobs for our sons and daughters.”
Prophet Johnny Eyomah of Omega Gopel Ministries International who spoke on behalf of the clergy reiterated their support for the senator whom they said deserved a second term.
“On behalf of the pastors and men of God who are here today representing different denominations, I recommend that you must go to the senate again in Jesus name,” he said but however called for solution to the into “the issue of herdsmen who are are killing and raping our women in their farms.”
A three times former federal House of Representatives member, Mr. Halims Agoda said the senator’s score card was very rich compared to the little time he has spent in the senate.
Hear him: “In a very short time, senator Ovie Omo-Agege has accomplished a lot in terms of legislation and recorded so many projects to his name. As a first timer, he has given a credible account of his stewardship. They are some lawmakers both in the House and Senate who spend three or four years there without even introducing their names and when they move in the streets nobody recognizes them but today Senator Omo-Agege is a household name”.