LAGOS JULY 21ST (URHOBOTODAY)-The gubernatorial quest of former Secretary to the Delta State Government, Obaisi (Barr.) Ovie Omo-Agege received a massive boost at the weekend, as prominent leaders of the Isoko nation pledged the support of the Isoko people to his quest to be governor of Delta state in 2015.
Declaring his support when Omo-Agege visited him at his country home at Igbide in Isoko South Local Government Area for a consultation meeting on the gubernatorial race, Chief Dennis E.A Etaloku, the 2nd Vice Chairman of the Leaders of Thought of Ijaw. Isoko, and Itsekiri popularly known as 3i’s, the patron of Isoko Development Union (IDU) and the Oteta of Igbide Kingdom stressed that “there is no chance that an Orogun man will be governor and say he does not know the Isoko people.”

Omo-Agege also visited the residence of the President General of the Isoko Development Union (IDU) Chief (Gen) Paul Omu (RTD) where a closed door meeting was held as well as the Uzere residence of erudite scholar and political leader, Prof. Abednego Ekoko
Etaloku described the governorship hopeful as a household name in Isoko land and Delta State at large and emphasised that “there is no single man in Isoko who does not know Omo-Agege”.
He noted that the Urhobo and Isoko people were the same.
“When we were young and living in Onitsha, they could not differentiate the Urhobo man from the Isoko man. It is the greed of the modern politicians that created bad blood between Isoko and Urhobo people. They started introducing you are this, you are that. Our fathers worked together. They did everything together. Any new song that came out from Urhobo, the next day it will be sang here in Isoko.”
Advising Omo-Agege to hold his home front, Etaloku said “We want Delta South and Central to work together, that is why we made the move to meet with UPU. If we all agree to work together and produce you, you certainly will not change your mind and say we are no more your brothers. We know the people who will say we are not their brothers. Anybody from Ughelli does not discriminate against the Isoko man at all. Ughelli and Isoko are the same, we work together and we do not discriminate among ourselves. I do not see any man from Isoko who is going to discriminate against Ughelli person.
“I will tell you that God has crowned your journey. We will pray to God to give us one mind for us to work together to achieve victory with you”
Etaloku who was one of the representatives of the Isoko nation at the meeting that voted for the creation of Delta state prayed for the Anioma people to get their own state so that they could have their own state with headquarters in the central which is close to the Isoko people.
“We proposed Ughelli then because if you develop Ughelli, it will spread to Igbide. It takes fifteen minutes to drive to Ughelli from Igbide.” he explained.
While acknowledging the political pedigree of Omo-Agege, Chief Etatoku said, “You are a house hold name. You are going round, and you have started on a good footing. You are meeting elders and leaders at the appropriate time. They will call themselves together and when the politics come, we will show you the way. On behalf of the Isoko people who are here, I am saying that we will support you. This time, there will be no failure. A special understanding is on the way to replace all misunderstandings of the recent past between the people of Urhobo and Isoko.”
On his part, Prof Abednego Ekoko expressed optimism that if given the mandate to govern the State, Omo-Agege would rectify the marginalization of the Uzere kingdom for the past few years, saying “we will stand by you at the appropriate time.”
He noted that “power does not come from the east, west, north or south but from God”, Prof. Ekoko urged Omo-Agege to carry his quest to God. “You must have faith in God and yourself. You must have endurance and the forbearance of Jesus Christ. With these and with our commitment and followership, you will be there.” He advised Omo-Agege’s teeming supporters to remain steadfast and committed to the course.
Earlier in his remarks, Omo-Agege noted that he had contested for the gubernatorial seat in 2007 and twice in 2011. He emphasizes, “I intend to succeed this time. I am doing this because I have passion to serve. I have a dream to add value to governance in the State”
While noting that he is not an ethnic bigot, he said the common heritage which the people of Isoko and Urhobo share and historical ties that bind them together cannot be waived aside, adding that there is no difference between Urhobo and the Isoko people.
“Urhobo and Isoko were together as Eastern Urhobo. We are one and the same. There is no way an Omo-Agege administration will not protect the interest of the Isoko people,”Obaisi noted.
Omo-Agege assured that the Isoko people will be adequately represented in his government. He also promised to provide more funding for the Law Faculty and School of Engineering of Delta State University located in Oleh.
Praising the achievements of the State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in the implementation of his three point agenda, he said “Chief James Ibori laid the requisite foundation, Governor Uduaghan built on it and I want to take it to the next level.”
The governorship hopeful promised to tackle the challenges of unemployment and insecurity in the state through the implementation of policies with high job creation potentials and establishment of security marshals in the various communities across the state.?
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.