DISTINGUISHED SENATOR OVIE OMO-AGEGE, THE MAN WHO REVOLUTIONALIZED ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS (APC) IN DELTA STATE

In Act III, Scene I, of the William Shakespeare play, King Henry IV, the title character says, “Deny it to a king? Then happy low, lie down! Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” This scenario explicitly expresses how tough, complex and herculean, leadership responsibility could be to those who shoulder them.

Leadership is the art of motivating or inspiring a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal, great leaders intervene in times of crisis and are able to think out of the box creatively in difficult situations in a bid to surmount the challenges. In human existence, leadership role is very strategic, the absence of leadership connotes social disorder. Its absence brings about a people without control. Great leadership also comes with great control bringing about a time of great achievements, a period of hope for the people that have it.

The Delta-State, All Progressive Congress (APC), waited such a long time to reach a period of great political leadership. Then came Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege a leader who epitomises great leadership skills with perfect combination of great emotional intelligence competencies, having achieved several significant feats Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege came with the requisite vigour, intelligence, know-how, positive influence and immense political experience into the APC in Delta and turned around the fortunes of APC in Delta. Ovie Omo-Agege, came into the Delta APC, bringing along with him a reign of great progress.

He came in demonstrating that firstly the Delta APC could have a sitting Senator, in 2019 he returned again to the Senate proving to the world that APC was electable in Delta. Through his dogged effort also came a House of Representatives Member, Hon. waive and two House of Assembly Members in Delta at that time.

In 2019 Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege was elected again as a Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District upon which he was elected number two of the Senate, he became the Deputy Senate President of the Nigerian Senate at that time, a position that made the Delta APC so proud.

Ovie Omo-Agege used his position as the then Deputy Senate President to further prove his Statesmanship by accommodating all shades of deltans as aids even though his primary representation was that of the Delta Central Senatorial District. Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege during this time attracted numerous federal political appointments and immense infrastructural development to Delta all to the credit of the Delta APC.

Then came a time, he had to reorganize the party but shortly before this time directly or indirectly through Omo-Agege’s positive influence a Deltan Stella Okotete became the interim national Woman leader of the APC. Some of the positions thought to have been reserved for some APC special states

Shortly after this time, it is believed that President Muhamedu Buhari, the president of Nigeria at that time, at the instance of Sen. Ovie Omoagege had to cancel his London trip to welcome a political bigwig from Delta, Sen. Peter Onyelokachukwu Nwaoboshi, who represented the people of Delta North Senatorial District at that time making APC’s Senators in Delta two at that time.

Then, he had to reorganize the party, the APC in Delta. Firstly, he brought a renowned politician and political vetran, Elder Omeni Sobotie who has contributed immensely to the growth and expansion of the party to become the State Party Chairman a clear message to the opposition in Delta that it was no longer business as usual and other executives of the Party were elected at the congresses, giving The APC a different look in Delta, a look of seriousness and readiness for serious political business.

Then, through Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege’s positive influence and political instrumentality, again a deltan, Barr. Felix Morka became the spokes person of the largest political party(APC) in Africa. Barr Felix Morka a quintessential lawyer of Anioma extraction who has become a nightmare to the APC oppositions in Nigeria’s national political space through his effective cum efficient work ethic and performance.

Like a traditional war lord, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege all through the electioneering period led the APC Delta into the 2023 general election fighting gallantly and relentlessly politically, roaring like a Lion through the length and breadth of Delta during his campaigns sounding and resounding the presence and electability of the APC in Delta.

Like the mother hen would cover its young chicks with its feathers Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, provided a cover through his unequalled skilled political leadership style for every other APC candidate in Delta during the 2023 election and including President Bola Tinubu whom Ovie Omo-Agege also campaigned vigorously on his behalf.

Against all odds even considering the fact that the PDP Vice Presidential Candidate at that time, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa was a two time incumbent Governor of Delta State which presented a very dificult scenerio to convince deltans at that time about another presidential ticket but Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege took it upon himself to convince a huge chunk of deltans in the direction of Bola Amed Tinubu’s presidential ticket.

After the 2023 general elections through the political leadership and instrumentality of Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege the APC in Delta gained more grounds and remained politically afloat. The APC in Delta retained two Senatorial seats out of the three in Delta, Sen. Ede Dafinone representing Delta Central Senatorial district and Sen. Joel Onowakpo representing Delta South Senatorial District. A House of Representatives Member and six Delta State House of Assembly Seats/Members.

I have decided not to talk about the 2023 gubernatorial election in Delta state because of its judicial involvement but you can deceive some people some time but you can not deceive all the people all the time. A certain African adage has it that the constantly sick person shall meet with the medicine prepared with pepper. It is not over until it’s over and I know, politics is not for the swift, because it’s not a sprint but a marathon (long distance) race.

Directly or indirectly a Minister, an NDDC Chairman, and an NDDC representative, representing Delta has been appointed onto Delta APC. Wether through Omo-Agege’s influence or not, at leash there was someone to announce to the world and indeed the Nigerian Federal Government that there is a formidable APC in Delta, worthy of represention.

Today the Delta – State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)most especially, and other political parties in Delta are dazed vis-a-vis how the puppet APC of yesterday in Delta that used to be only for the settlement and manipulation has now become a political giant and political weaponry in the hands of Distinguished Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege. No wonder the American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet, who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century, Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

We in the Delta – State APC must continue to appreciate and remain grateful to Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege for building a formidable platform for us to soar politically.

Hon. Samuel Ekene Kerry,
APC Chairman Ika North East LGA, Delta State reflecting aloud from Owerre Olubor in Ika North East LGA of Delta State.