By Annabel Ogheneganre
One does not have to spend eternity in parliament to make impact. Either you have what it takes to give effective representation or you don’t have it. In just four years, APC have given Delta Central what PDP could not give in 16 years. Ovie Omo-Agege, the star senator from Delta state has demonstrated in clear terms that one cannot give what he or she does not have. The stuff Ovie Omo-Agege is made of is totally at variance with what PDP has given in what could be described as 16 years of waste and reign of the locus. Aside the four years of the Late Senator Fred Brume, one can say PDP wasted so many years sending clay-footed politicians to the battle front where political Goliaths are reigning with iron fists. Both at the upper and lower chambers, PDP did not do well in terms of representative capacity. The Late Senator Pius Akpor Ewherido who gave a stunning performance in just two years could be classified among the best ever produced from the Urhobo nation. And with the emergence of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Revd Francis Waive, Urhobo could be said to have gotten it right.
I never doubted the capability of Revd Francis Ejiroghene Waive before the polls. I knew both Revd Waive of APC and Hon Sam Mariere of the PDP possessed the capacity to do well in the House. Prior to the polls, merely looking at the manifestoes of both men, one was not in doubt that either of them could do well and take the people from Egypt. Though Revd Waive and Hon. Solomon Awhinawhin won at the polls, I was confident Mariere was a very good material. The joy is that out of the two men that won, it was Waive that was given the mandate to be in the House and he has done what none of his predecessors did in all their years of greed in the House. Some persons may be wondering why I keep insisting that Awhinawhin won. He won because he was never in the election and all he wanted was for Hon Sam Mariere to lose the election. He and his gang within the PDP did everything possible to ruin Mariere chances and to the extent that Mariere did not win, they could be considered to have won. They got the victory they, Awhinawhin and his gang, bargained for. Their fight was premised on a non-expressed slogan, anybody but Mariere. That is the brand of politics that has been institutionalized in Delta central. I will expatiate on this in future elections.
The good news is that Delta Central and the Udu/Ughelli Federal Constituency got it right this time. Since Omo-Agege re-election, the young man has given Urhobo what was not dreamt for in terms of national politics. Aside emerging Deputy President of the Senate, giving Urhobo national visibility, Omo-Agege has issued appointment letters to over 50 Urhobo sons and daughters to serve in diverse capacity. The positions are meant to spread joy to many homes and break the yoke of poverty in sundry places. Many of those he has appointed or would appoint would draw salaries from the National Assembly while many others would be paid from his pocket in a bid to spread democracy dividends to as many supporters as possible. The news of appointments from the Omo-Agege office shook the PDP to their marrows. PDP has been sending selfish politicians who do not know how to spread the joy of political glory. There was a Senator from Delta Central whose Senior Legislative Aide was his wife. He appointed a handful of other persons who reported to his wife as head of the office. Such people with their primitive mindsets shrank the glory of the PDP and reduced it to a paper tiger now gasping for breath in the political arena. Selfishness and greed is digging the political grave of the PDP and except the party rose from her slumber, APC can easily drive them from government house in no distant time.
The most beautiful evidence of classical representation by Ovie Omo-Agege is the introduction of the Bill for establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Delta State. What a testimony to a man of vision and political sobriety! The only man who has served our people like Omo-Agege is doing today is Chief James Ibori who established the Delta Polytechnics at Otefe, Oghara, Ozoro and Ogwashi-Uku, besides the Delta State Teaching Hospital, Oghara. There is also the Delta State School of Physical Education in Mosogar courtesy of the Ibori magic. Ibori did all these because he commanded executive powers. But for Ovie Omo-Agege to rise to the challenge of dancing in the big arena to drag a Federal polytechnic to Urhobo land, the man deserves all the accolades.
Now to Revd Francis Waive, who in acknowledgement of economic challenges in the society today has decided to give appointment to almost 50 persons from the three local government areas in the Federal Constituency. As a House member, he is entitled to about three official aides but to ever consider the idea of appointing as many as 10 aides from each of the local government areas in the constituency, Waive has demonstrated in clear terms that he does not belong in the greedy and selfish gang that have masqueraded as representives of the people of the area for 16 years. Awhinawhin who spent 8 years in the House made no impact. Those who benefited from him in terms of appointment cannot be up to ten in 8 years. But here is a man who just spent a couple of months yet is thinking of giving people hope in the party, give them opportunity to share in the honour and dignity of the office and also give them something to smile home with at the end of the month. The amount to be paid does not matter. He could pay them N10,000, N20,000 or N50,000 or more monthly as the case may be, what matters is to be invited to the dining table to dine with the King. Waive does not want to eat alone. Those so appointed will retain the honour of being legislative aide to a House of Representative member for life. Their curriculum vitae just got boosted. The money is secondary. What matters most is the vision of spreading joy to as many homes as possible.
In all, Revd Francis Waive has appointed about 49 persons as Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants or Special Advisers. From Ughelli North Local Government Area, Revd Waive has appointed 16 persons as Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and Special Advisers as the case may be including the following: Austin Asawarhe (Special Adviser) Ward 1/5; Philip Oware (Special Assistant- Youth Mobilization) Ward 1/5; Hon Chief Bright Oluku JP (Special Assistant- Mobilization) Ward 1/5; Evans Akponana (Special Adviser) Ward 3/7; Johnbull Ekana Akpoteyeri (Special Adviser) Ward 2/6; Efemena Doroh (Special Adviser) Ward 2/6; Chuks Erhire (Special Adviser) Orogun ward 1; Chief Barr. Mrs Beauty Ubogu Nze (Senior Special Assistant- Women Mobilization) Orogun ward 2; Daniel Itama (Liaison Officer for Ughelli North LGA) Uwheru; Ambrose Germany (Senior Special Assistant- Youths Mobilization) Agbarho Ward 1; Kenneth Osborn Ewherevuowho (Special Assistant-Group Mobilization) Agbarho ward 2; Mavis Onikhibe (Special Adviser- Community Development for Ughelli North) Ogor; Collins Ochierue (Special Assistant- Special Duties) Evwreni; Ogheneochuko C. Onajite (Special Assistant- Publicity) Orogun 1 and Rev Eredoro (Special Adviser Religious Matters for Ughelli North) plus one other person whose name I could not ascertain yet.
From Ughelli South Local Government Area, the following persons have been appointed: Savor Amina Sunny (Special Adviser) Jeremi ward 1, Okpako Jonah (Liaison Officer for Ughelli South LG) Jeremi ward 2; Macaulay Oghenekevwe Paul (Special Assistant- Community Mobilization) Jeremi ward 3; Chief Richard Chowhora (Special Assistant- Home Affairs) Jeremi ward 3; Chief Dickson Awharievwei (Special Assistant- Community Development for Ughelli South LG) Jeremi ward 4; Austin Owhovofaria (Special Adviser- Community Development for Ughelli South LG) Ewu; Doris Othuke Ugbo (Senior Special Assistant Women Mobilization) Ewu ward 1; Chief Agwoligho (Special Adviser) Ewu ward 2; Chief Philip Avwotusivwo (Special Adviser) Ewu ward 2; Paul Abadah (Special Adviser) Ekakpramre; Barr. Aghogho Badaseraye (Special Adviser- Legal/Strategy) Ekakpramre; Israel Odafe Imoukhuede (Special Assistant- Special Duties) Ekakpramre; Stanley Ejaita Emokete (Special Adviser- Security/Grassroot Mobilization) Olomu; Abraham Ekokotu (Special Adviser- Special Duties) Olomu 2; Matthew Ogboru (Special Adviser) Olomu/Effuruotor 3 and Rev Fovie (Special Adviser- Religious Matters for Ughelli South LG).
From Udu Local Government Area, those being considered for appointment include: Hon Sylvester A.O Sopian (Special Adviser- Special Duties) Udu ward 1; Henry Ejoor Mukoro (Special Adviser) Udu ward 2; Frank Mughele (Special Assistant- Social Events) Udu ward 3; David K Chobore (Special Adviser) Udu ward 3; Chief Amos Utiri (Special Adviser) Udu ward 3; Ovwemejepha Precious (Special Assistant- Special Duties) Udu ward 4; Austin Emakpor (Special Assistant- Special Duties) Udu ward 5; Omokaro Kingsley (Senior Special Assistant- Publicity) Udu ward 7; Joan Imiruaye (Senior Special Assistant- Electronics/New Media) Udu 6; Aghogho Owhomrowho (Liaison Officer for Udu LG) Udu 7; Chief John Olomu (Special Adviser- Party Affairs) Udu ward 8; Mrs. Rose Edewor (Special Adviser) Udu ward 9; Mrs. Agbairia Sekprako (Senior Special Assistant- Women Mobilization) Udu 9; Alex Kemeruvwe (Special Adviser Community Development for Udu LG) Udu ward 9; Peter Atalevwia Unuata (Special Assistant- Special Duties) Udu ward 10 and Rev Chovwen (Special Adviser- Religious Matters for Udu LG).
I have been made to understand that there are issues with the proposed appointments. What I am celebrating about the proposal is first the idea of giving these party faithful a sense of belonging by a House of Representative member. Let the likes of the indolent, slothful and inefficient Solomon Awhinawhin publish the names of those he appointed in 8 years. This is not a matter of cassava grinding machines, pepper grinding machines which some representatives take pride in giving on the eve of elections. We are talking of credible representation here. Here is a man who just got elected and is visible on the floor of the House. My advice for Revd Francis Waive is that whether he could pay these men and women or not, he should issue them appointment letters. Let them celebrate the honour of being considered for appointment so they could continue to stand firm to teach the ‘wasteful’ PDP a bitter lesson in future elections. Let Waive consider his income and peg their pay at a level that will not create incongruous discomfort in his pocket. What is important is that his voice is being heard in the House and the fact that he has done what no PDP House of Representatives member has ever done stands him out as a man set aside for excellence. APC is teaching PDP how to play politics.
The curious thing is that instead of discouraging anti-party activities, PDP has institutionalized political prostitution by giving appointment to those who fought against the interest of their party in 2019. This will further help APC in future elections. PDP is digging her grave gradually and the rise and rise of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Revd Francis Waive may well be the undertaker that will ferry many PDP irresponsible politicians to retirement. They have wasted their chances. Nobody knew a House of Representative member could ever conceive the idea of appointing 50 persons as aides. A Delta North House of Representatives member, Ndudi Elumelu has followed the steps of Waive by appointing 84 persons as aides. Politics is wearing big horns in Nigeria and whoever wants to eat alone, must die alone, if I may borrow the NURTW slogan. I congratulate Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Revd Francis Waive for their superlative representation of our people in the National Assembly. As I stated earlier, one does not have to spend eternity in parliament to make impact. Either you have what it takes to give effective representation or you don’t have it.
Congratulations to Omo-Agege