Omo-Agege gets backing for deputy senate president

TRACKING >>The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has appealed to senators, President Muhammadu Buhari and party leaders to endorse Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as sole candidate for the deputy senate president.

The President-General, Joe Omene, who addressed reporters at Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, said the Southeast has had its fair share in the leadership of the senate so Omo-Agege from the Southsouth should be supported.

According to him, the likes of Senators Adolphus Wabara, Ken Nnamani, Evan Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim and others, have been Senate President, before Ekweremadu. He wondered why Senator-elect Uzor Kalu is now contesting for deputy senate president.

He said: “It is on this ground we are appealing to all Southsouth senators, irrespective of party affiliations, to come together to ensure the position does not go out of hand. This is not the time to segregate or divide, but to unite to achieve a common goal of the people and growth of the Southsouth.

“We also know that Mr. President and the party leadership will not fail us in this struggle because it is obvious that Omo-Agege has been tested and his loyalty is not in doubt, it was this we saw that all Urhobos, Deltans and Southsouth are calling on him to come and represent them in that capacity of deputy senate president.

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“We are, on behalf of the Urhobo people at home and in Diaspora, appealing to Uzor Kalu and others to pull their weight behind Omo-Agege for the deputy senate president for one good turn deserves another. Tomorrow we will still be there for either Southeast or Southwest, and we have to also reciprocate.”

But Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, under the auspices of the Niger Delta Democrats, yesterday protested the endorsement of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for deputy senate president.

The group said the endorsement was a deliberate suppression of public will that must be resisted.

The spokesman, Comrade Raphael Aliu, said Omo-Agege’s inability to endure the weakness of others would create division in the new Senate.

Comrade Aliu noted that Nigerians are expecting a deputy senate president who is humble and ready to work with others harmoniously, and not a “self-serving individual who would seek to dethrone the leadership to foster his personal interest against the wishes and expectations of other senators”.

He said: “We appeal to the senators to disregard the unpopular endorsement of the controversial individual, and choose a more reliable principal officer of their choice who would be loyal and build group confidence through simplicity, cohesiveness, cooperation, commitment and stability.

“Leadership strength is measured by the weakness of others that you can endure. Inability to endure the weakness of others is the reason for all the rancorous sessions and conflicts in the eighth Senate.

“Nigeria cannot afford to experience another round of mace snatching with disdain. If such an individual, who has harassed our democracy is given a sensitive position, a damaging precedent would have been sent by the Buhari administration.”