Deputy Senate Presidency: Why Senator Ovie Omo-Agege Is the Right Choice
Austin Asadu
As the race for the offices of the presiding and principal officers of the senate gears up, many Nigerians long for the right choices to be made in electing men and women of honour, integrity, competence and utmost dedication to the Nigerian project and all it stands for.
As they are well aware, the nation needs such resolute and committed leaders in order to move the legislative agenda of the 9th National Assembly forward thus translating into increased delivery of crucial dividends of democracy to the people.
The 8th NASS particularly the senate was irreparably marred by a patently autocratic and self –aggrandising leadership that tended to run the affairs of the upper chamber exclusively for the interest and benefits of the cronies of the senate president
and other senators that were ready toe the line of the leadership irrespective of the negative impact of such directives on the Senate, the National Assembly or the nation s as a whole.
As far as the office of the senate president was concerned: you either swallow our imprimatur hook, line and sinker or risk dire consequences for your ‘audacity’ or defiance of ‘constituted authority’.
However a few senators like Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central Senatorial Zone courageously swan against the tide believing righty as it turned out, that he was acting in the larger interest of the nation rather than in obeisance to the narrow, self-centred posturing of Dr Bukola Saraki and his clique of yesterdays men unwilling to sign up to the anti-corruption reform agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.
A forthright Senator Ovia Omo-Agege emerged as an objectively dissenting voice in the Red Chamber, objectively opposing the increasingly despotic bent of the senate president who was more interested in utilizing the senate as a Trojan horse to derail the reformist policies of the APC-led federal government rather than acting as a pragmatic partner in the crucial task of national building and economic development.
The brazen attempt by the senate president and his clique to ram through the contentious S.25 of the Electoral Act providing for the sequence of the general elections with the presidential polls coming last was stoutly resisted by Senator Omo-Agege with the backing of his colleagues in the Parliamentary Support Group,
to the consternation of the senate helmsman who retaliated with the precipitate suspension of the Delta-born legislative titan. However the courts ruled the suspension an abuse of due process and the rule of law thus rendering it nugatory and of no effect whatsoever.
In fact Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is no stranger to the famous dictum of American President Franklin Roosevelt who famously admonished his countrymen that ‘we have nothing to fear but fear itself’, in the war against Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan and fascist Italy,
as he, Omo-Agege believes that tyranny and despotism only flourish when good men fail to speak up out of fear or favour.
Therefore he has never relented in calling out those that are out to truncate the nation’s peace, progress and stability particularly as it relates to the anti-corruption agenda of president Muhammadu Buhari.
Indeed Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is an unabashed and stalwart supporter of Mr President’s policy of zero tolerance for corruption, financial mismanagement, economic sabotage and the brazen looting of public funds perpetuated by precious administrations and he also supports the extension of the anti-corruption war to the state level where funds are pilfered at will not caring whose ox is gored in the process.
For instance, hundreds of billions of naira are allocated monthly to state governments in the Niger Delta but there is nothing on ground in terms of infrastructural development to justify these huge allocations.
As far as the tough minded senator is concerned, state governors should be held accountable for the theft of public funds and face the music if found culpable, no more, no less.
As a loyal party man, Senator Ovie Ome-Agege believes in the doctrine of party supremacy and sees no justification for any defiance of the APC leadership directive regarding the race for Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House Speaker etc.
As for as he is concerned the party decision should hold sway especially where Mr. President has signed off on a particular issue or policy.
For instance he, Senator Ovie Omo Agege is in the race for Deputy Senate President having been given the green light by both Mr. President and the partly leadership to contest in light of the zoning of the position to the South-South geopolitical zone.
Were the case to have been different, Senator Omo-Agege would have declined contesting as he cannot be or be seen to be at odds with the Mr. President or the party in the pursuit of narrow self ambition for self perpetuating ends.
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is without doubt eminently qualified to occupy the exalted Deputy Senate President seat given his track record of exemplary performance, unvarnished competence, outstanding representation and effective lawmaking in all its positive ramifications.
A forward looking Senator Ovie Omo- Agege has sponsored or co-sponsored a record number of bills and motions while courageously and consistently raising his voice in the Red Chamber to protect and advance the cause of his people
while rendering crucial dividends of democracy to them in the arenas of health, education, road, rural development, power, water supply, agriculture, manpower development and women and youths empowerment.
Trenchantly, a 5 billion naira a year massive road dualization project is proceeding at a frenetic pace in his senatorial zone funded by the presidency,
proof positive that Mr President and Senator Omo-Agege virtually see eye to eye on the need to fastrack the infrastructural development of neglected parts of the country.
Indeed Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has the force of personality, the sincerity of purpose and the firmness of principle and conviction to ably steer the affairs of the Deputy Senate President’s office, come rain, come shine
and he has thoroughly discharged the requirements of his office in his precedent shattering first term to the utmost delight of his constituents and majority of Nigerians who are ardently clamouring for him to be elected to the office of the Deputy President of the Senate so that he can continue doing what he knows to do best, delivering crucial dividends of democracy to the people. To God be the Glory.
