By EJIROGHENE BARRETT, Benin –
As agitations for political endorsements increase ahead of the 2023 governorship elections in Delta state, several groups have pitched their tents with the different aspirants in order to assert their political stance and align with the policies that best serves their varying interests.
As part of the heightened campaigns, Ijaw youths across The four Ijaw Local Government Areas (LGA) in Delta state, under the aegis of the socio-political group, Victory Movement for Omo-Agege, recently announced their support for the governorship ambition of the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, for governor of Delta State come 2023.
In a statement signed by the coordinator of the group, James Aloro, who hails from Akugbini Town in Bomadi LGA, they called on Omo-Agege to join the race for the governorship elections as they believe his candidacy will inspire the politically marginalised across the state who see him as “the only true voice of the people who genuinely feels the pulse of the masses in the state”. They also stated that “only he can end 24 years of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) maladministration in Delta State”.
The group, which claims to have a membership of over thirty five thousand youths already, says it took this decision after serious consultations, and in consideration of the many efforts by Omo-Agege over the years to wade into several grievances between government (at both state and federal levels) and the riverine communities, even as these do not fall under his legislative jurisdiction. They also expressed their appreciation for his advocacy over the years “to bring responsible and responsive governance to our communities”.
It also disclosed that it is in the process of mobilising more people and has offered to work with other groups from other parts of the state, “not only for the purpose of building a stronger support base but also to demonstrate Omo-Agege’s vision of a unified Delta.” As part of these overtures, Jackson Okotie, a politician from Eku in Ethiope East LGA, who spoke on the group’s advocacy, acknowledged their efforts and noted that the call for Ovie to run “ has been taken up by many across the state”.
Speaking about the group’s objectives, James Aloro and some other members, who identified themselves as Mr. Atala warri from Burutu main town Burutu LGA, Mr. Johnson ayims from ogbe ijaw town, warri
south west LGA and Mr. Asubi Varandakeme from inikorogha Town, in Burutu LGA, insist that the goal is to bring structural change to the political administration of Delta State.
The group lamented the current socio-economic conditions across Delta state, even with the resources available. It said that “the state has continued to crawl without the necessary infrastructural development and the necessary attention to the needs of the riverine communities; a condition that even Ijaw representatives have not addressed but Ovie has shown genuine commitment to address over the years”.
The group warned that “the failure of Deltans to take advantage of Omo-Agege’s leadership qualities may end up keeping us in this state of wretchedness that the incumbent PDP has put the state.”
It called on Omo-Agege to heed the call of the people as they ‘assure his victory, come 2023, without any doubts about our ability to mobilise our constituencies for him”.
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