Can Omo-Agege Save Delta State? ‘My Doubts’ Part 1

Prior to my joining politics, I was heavily against anyone connected or affiliated to the People Democratic Party (PDP). Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Ironically, that was my name sake who posed that question to Philip regarding the childhood home of Jesus Christ. For me, PDP represented the ‘looters club per excellence’. I had seen good people, whom prior to joining PDP, showed signs of responsibility and probity, only to go on a looting spree when given positions of responsibility in PDP government, especially in Delta State!

More annoying was when intelligence reached me immediately after my Local Government Chairmanship election in 2014, that my result was being manipulated in the house of one of the PDP leaders at the time, Olorogun Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege! It was very easy for me to tag this leader as the face of my hatred thereof.

Fast forward to 2015 and the stage was set on the electioneering campaigns for the general elections. I was at this time, privy to partake in the discussions and planning for the Labour Party at the home of the leader, Chief Great Ogboru. There, I sat side by side with my assumed nemesis and election manipulator; Olorogun Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege.

The Yorubas have a saying; ‘that when you close your eyes to avoid seeing bad people, you may as well, miss the chance of seeing good people’! This time, I was privy to get a closer look at the man and judge his demeanour. The first thing that impressed me about him was his impeccable Urhobo attire and calm mien. As an ardent promoter of anything Urhobo, this resonated positively with my perception. He was also, very articulate and always looked at issues from fresh perspectives regardless of the general direction. That was refreshing to me! Prior to then, leaders that were mostly present at the then DPP / Labour party caucuses, would rather echo the sentiments of the ‘General’ whom they always wanted to please.

ALSO READ: PDP Refutes Bribery Allegations Over Returned Housing Allowance

Also, I noticed that this newcomer, Obaisi, never partook in the alcoholic Bing that was the norm during such meetings. I had actually complained to a friend, Olorogun Steve Dieseruvwe about this abnormality in earlier meetings and to see a leader who was not indulging in this abhorrent behaviour especially in the public gaze, was endearing to my sensibility. I quietly became a disciple. “Maybe this guy is different”, I quipped.

The 2015 general election came and went and the results, as usual, was manipulated. The Labour party was declared the loser in both Gubernatorial and Senatorial elections. We went to court. Again, I was privileged to be involved with the work required to sanitize the manipulated results. Hon Efe Duku was the arrow head of this work and he was kind enough to engage me.

At the Court hearings which I mostly attended, I was surprised to always see Olorogun Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege. He would patiently listen to all submissions and approach his barristers at the intervals to get and give information. In one instance, as I was seating next to him in the court at Asaba, he was asking for my opinion on whether the submission and ballot paper evidences were sufficient and convincing enough. I just nodded my head thinking, “what do I know about legal issues? It is like asking a blind man the matching colours of an attire”! But I was convinced enough, from the paper work that we had worked upon, to be optimistic that the court decision would turn out positive. Then again, against Delta state PDP, optimism was a mirage at best. But Obaisi succeeded in pulling the Chestnut out of the fire for the opposition and the rest is history, as they say!

In my second part of this analysis, I will examine his work at the National Assembly and attempt to forecast his chances into the future. The man, His Excellency, Senator Barrister Ovie Omo-Agege is on a mission. A legend in the making.

Nathaniel Dortie wrote.