By Young Erhiurhoro
LAGOS SEPTEMBER 26TH (URHOBOTODAY)-In a swift reaction to a publication authored by one Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa against the name and personality of Olorogun O’tega Emerhor with the title, ” So O’tega Wants To Take Omo-Agege’s Post?” in the Urhobo Voice of October 1, 2018, volume 21 at page 8 and 9, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor reacted saying, “Omo-Agege has no post that I wants to take from him.
“I thought the writer of this blasphemous and fictitious article is a lawyer but from this article, it shows that he is not done in law. For a trained lawyer to say that I wants to take Omo-Agege’s post from him, it shows he is not a sound lawyer. Well, to put the records straight, let me say some few things here until we shall have a media chat together when I will bring out detailed information.
“ First, the Delta Central Senatorial District, which is the district of mainly the Urhobo people is not an inheritance to any Urhobo politician. It belongs to the entire Urhobo nation. Senator Omo-Agege only became the senator because the people voted for him. He is the present senator but the next senator cannot be him. I’m taking over that seat from him, starting from the primaries. Secondly, the senatorial race is opened to every Urhobo person that is credible and capable of representing the Urhobo people in the Senate. In every political process, there are always procedures to follow to be elected or appointed into a political position. Barr. Onokpasa should not create fear or intimidation in Omo-Agege.
“I want Barr. Onokpasa to give peace a chance to allow us show our credibility and worthiness to the Urhobo people. Omo-Agege should not be afraid of me. Let’s come to the open field to test our credibility and popularity through the direct primaries endorsed for Delta state by the national leadership of APC. If he is capable, he should allow his works for the past three years in the Senate to speak for him during the primaries and the general elections.
“How many physical projects can Omo-Agege point to that he brought to the entire senatorial district? What has he done with all the funds allocated for different projects and empowerment programmes? We are not talking about giving peanuts to people as empowerment. That is just like giving a fish to a child everyday. It doesn’t stop the child from hunger. Why not you teach the child how to kill the fish instead? You see, that is the kind of empowerment programmes done to people by Omo-Agege. That is what people like Barr. Onokpasa are singing praises for. That is the PDP kind of empowerment. They have no meaningful impacts on the people.”
Olorogun O’tega Emerhor who reacted to the said publication through phone calls put to him Urhobooday.com correspondent, shed light on supporting Delta North to become governor as raised by Barr. Onokpasa in his aricle saying, “The PDP said Okowa should continue in the second tenure to balance the zoning system in the state. Why did Barr. Onokpasa refused to remind the Urhobos that they are being cheated by the PDP?
“Is it because APC said, Delta North should complete the second tenure but through APC governor? In APC, we stand for justice, fairness and truth. We can’t kill the yam for the baby, neither we kill the baby for the yam. Every senatorial district in this state is important. No part should be short-changed because of power intoxication. Delta North should be allowed to produce the next governor but under the APC. Barr. Onokpasa thought by writing on this issue, the Urhobo people would then hate me but he was only helping to build my political base with the Urhobo people.
“The era of money politics had gone, we should allow our records to speak for us this time around. I want to implore Barr. Onokpasa to study more before he writes. I have no personal issue with Barr. Onokpasa. He only wants to make himself an angel before Omo-Agege. The records are there for everybody to see. No matter how he paints me, he can’t paint me black before my Urhobo people.
“More importantly, the APC elders and leaders of the senatorial district bought the Senate nomination form for me. Without being told, it shows the kind of person Omo-Agege is to the party in the state and to the Urhobo people. Primaries are not far from today, let him confront me in the field. If he wins, I will support him as the party candidate and in the same way too, if I win, he should support me as the party candidate. Nobody should defect to other parties after primaries. Let’s stand to build the party. Thank you!”
On the other hand, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor said, he is fully prepared for the Delta Central Senatorial seat. He promised to give the Urhobo people fair representation. He was equally optimistic of winning both the primaries and the general elections.
He also cleared the air that he was not the problem of APC as Barr. Onokpasa envisaged but Omo-Agege is the one ravaging and tearing apart the party because he wants a free gubernatorial ticket to be given to Great Ogboru and free senatorial ticket be given to him without abiding by party processes.
He therefore advised Barr. Onokpasa to do research well before rushing to the press.