The Delta State All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, has hailed the emergence of the immediate-past Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Friday Ossai Osanebi, as running mate to the APC governorship candidate in next year’s elections, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
Osanebi, who was nominated on Wednesday in a statement personally signed by Senator Omo-Agege, is currently a ranking member of the State Assembly, representing Ndokwa East State Constituency.
The lawyer, philanthropist and three-time member of the Atate Assembly hails from Beneku town in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the state.
In congratulating the former Deputy Speaker on his emergence as APC deputy governorship candidate, the Director, Communications and Media Strategy of the campaign organisation, Ima Niboro, expressed optimism that he would add immense value to the ticket.
The spokesperson applauded Omo-Agege for having confidence in youth, emphasising that his choice is a testimony of his belief in the ability of the younger generation to drive the needed positive change in the state.
The 41-year-old Osanebi is the youngest legislator in the Delta State House of Assembly. He was first elected in 2011 at age 31, reelected in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
Niboro said the wild jubilation that greeted the announcement of Osanebi in Kwale and other surrounding towns, is a clear indication of his wide acceptance as a grassroots politician.
He urged Deltans to support the Agege/Osanebi ticket to rescue and rebuild the state, stressing that the team had developed a carefully thought-out roadmap to take the state out of its current distress and hopelessness.
The former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) invited members of the public to soberly ponder on the aggravating negative social indicators including escalating crime rate, decaying infrastructure, sky-rocketing unemployment and overwhelming poverty that were eclipsing the oil-rich state.
He said the APC governorship candidate had considered these social indicators and has accordingly challenged himself to commit to a career of working tirelessly on a ‘rescue mission’ by seeking the collaboration and support of men and women of goodwill across the state to join in the mission to rescue and reposition the state for economic and social renaissance.
In a statement he personally signed late Wednesday, Senator Omo-Agege had described the APC Deputy governorship candidate as a man of impeccable character, serving as a three-time lawmaker in various committees which include Chairman, House Committee on Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC); Deputy Chief Whip; Chairman, House Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs; Chairman, House Committee on Culture and Tourism among others.
The Delta APC governorship candidate revealed that his running mate emerged from a “painstaking internal vetting process in which many notable and highly qualified Deltans were also considered”.
“Our Constitution only allows one choice and we know that Rt. Honourable Osanebi is a great choice. Nonetheless, I am confident that with God on our side and by the electoral will of our people, each eminent Deltan who was considered in the vetting process will be given a chance to add value to public governance in strategic roles after the 2023 general elections.
“I am confident that working with the Rt. Honorable Friday Ossai Osanebi as our Deputy Governorship Candidate offers Deltans, especially our youths, a unique opportunity to repair our broken leadership foundations and Build A New Delta. This unique moment in our political evolution is clearly orchestrated by God Almighty for His greater glory and greater good of all our people. I humbly urge all our people to embrace this as our real chance for true greatness. We are marching towards the New Delta of our dream, and we are unstoppable,” he had said.
