Deputy President of the Senate and Delta state governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has promised to address the developmental needs of riverine communities in the state if elected as the next governor.
Omo-Agege, who lamented the absence of social amenities and development in Itsekiri and Egbema communities in Warri North LGA of the state, said his administration will proactively tackle the challenges by bringing development to them.
The APC governorship candidate gave the assurance on Thursday when the APC ward-to-ward campaign train made a historic campaign visit to riverine communities of Gbokoda and Opuama in the Warri North Council area of the state.
By the visit, Omo-Agege becomes the first governorship candidate and government official since the creation of the state to take the campaign to the riverine communities of Itsekiri of Gbokoda and Opuama in Warri North.
Omo-Agege, who rode on a two-hour boat to the oil-rich riverine communities, decried the absence of development in the communities and assured that his administration will address their pains.
Speaking separately at the various wards visited, the Deputy President of the Senate said despite the homogeneous contribution of Warri North to the state resources, there was nothing on the ground to justify their contribution.
Omo-Agege, who was accompanied by top APC leaders in the state including former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and DG of Delta APC Campaign, Elder Godsday Orubebe; Delta APC chairman, Elder Omni Sobotie; Itsekiri leader, Chief Ayiri Emami; former EDP of NDDC, Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli; Chief Michael Johnny and Prince Yemi Emiko, said Warri North was too critical to the state to be abandoned.
He specifically stated that his administration will tackle the absence of hospitals to cater for the health needs of residents of riverine communities whose only access to quality healthcare is in Warri, which is two hours drive from Gbokoda and Egbema.
The Delta Central lawmaker said he made the historic visit to the riverine communities to personally ascertain the challenges the people of the area were facing to tackle them.
Omo-Agege, while appealing to Itsekiri and Ijaw people to vote for him as governor and other APC candidates in the elections, said his administration will put an end to the marginalisation and underdevelopment of riverine communities across the state.
“This is an oil-bearing community and this is an oil-bearing LGA. The bulk of the money we receive as a state from the 13% derivation comes from the oil produced here.
“If not for Tuoyo’s contributions, you will not know that this is an oil-bearing local government. The Itsekiri people are marginalised by the Governor Okowa-led government, inspite of this, you still have some Itsekiri leaders saying, ‘where Okowa go we will go’.
“Somebody is using your money to enslave you and you are clapping and dancing after him, for seven and half years Okowa didn’t bring anything to our people here.”
Addressing a mammoth crowd of APC supporters in Gbokoda, Omo-Agege told the people, “The Itsekiris are marginalised by the current administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led PDP government. While coming on this two-hour boat ride, many questions were running through my mind. First, why is there poverty when Warri North contributes so much to our revenue development not here?
“If you look at the entire Itsekiri and Ijaw nations, there is no tertiary institution in Itsekiri and Ijaw lands, yet in one day, not too long ago Okowa and Sheriff created three universities and Governor Okowa took one to his home town and never considered the Itsekiri and Ijaw nations.
“Okowa didn’t think that nobody in Itsekiri is important enough to be considered to be rewarded by placing a higher institution in Itsekiri land yet we have Itsekiri leaders dining with him and are now urging him on to continue the marginalisation of Itsekiri.
“Inspite of this, none of the Itsekiri leaders is angry, why is Ejele not angry, why are even Governor Uduaghan and your House of Assembly members not angry? Why I, Ovie Omo-Agege am angrier than they?
“We have suffered enough. I am also a stakeholder in Itsekiri nation. So, when I say we, I speak also as a stakeholder. I am angry and I want the Itsekiri people to be angry too. You have a chance now to remedy the marginalisation, by voting PDP and Okowa out come 2023 elections.
“We now have a choice, and our choice is easy. l am very certain that Okowa has not visited Gbokoda and doesn’t know the deplorable condition our people live in, and he has been a governor for over seven years, in all these years what Okowa has to show for the Itsekiri people is market.
“I know the challenges you face. I will work with Yinka and other Itsekiri leaders to address them. Tuoyo has tried but I will take it up from there. I promise to address the challenges of health in this community. Our women who want to deliver do not need to be rushed to Warri for the hospital,” he added.
Chief Ayiri Emami, an APC Leader in Delta state while addressing party supporters said that wards in Gbokoda are all for APC. “For the three of us (Tuoyo, Prince Yemi Emiko and Ayiri) to be here means Itsekiri is here. Vote for Omo-Agege.
“In the forthcoming elections, don’t be deceived by money. Vote for Ovie Omo-Agege and other APC candidates. Omo-Agege as a governor will perform and develop our communities.
Speaking also, APC Warri North LGA chairman, Omatsuli Akatakpo said: “It’s the first time a gubernatorial candidate will be visiting Itsekiri riverine communities for the campaign,” stressing that the people of Warri North will support the candidacy of Senator Omo-Agege. “Our people will vote for him enmass.”
The Delta APC Chairman, Engr Omin Sobotie noted that the level of underdevelopment of Gbokoda and Egbema communities deserves urgent attention, saying that it’s only an APC-led government that can address the situation.
According to him, “Omo-Agege is also from Koko. Voting for him is voting for one of your own.”
Another chieftain of the party in Delta State and former Executive Director, Project of NDDC, Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli, in his remark, said that Itsekiris will vote for Omo-Agege because he knows what he can do. “Omo-Agege understands the pains and needs of the Itsekiri people.”
Ekpokpo Emmanuel, a House of Reps candidate assured Omo-Agege and other APC leaders that the Itsekiri and other tribes in Warri North have agreed to vote Omo-Agege as the next governor of the state. He disclosed that the Omo-Agege-led government will be beneficial to Itsekiri.
