By George Mgbeleke
Amidst the crisis in the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the outcome of the February 25 and March 18 general elections, prominent APC members have pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider Dr Cairo Ojougboh for ministerial appointment.
This is as stakeholders in the state, Prominent South-South socio-economic, cultural and political group, “South-South Emancipation Vanguards”, SEV have thrown their weight behind a former member of the House of Representatives and current Chieftain of the Party, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh.
The group accused the former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo Agege of spearheading a series of blackmail to undermine the chances of Ojougboh being tapped by President Tinubu for Federal assignments.
According to the group in a statement released in Abuja to newsmen on Sunday,by its Chairman Comrade Emmanuel Achojah, the group accused Omo-Agege of serially betraying President Asiwaju before and after the Presidential Primaries of the ruling APC.
The group stated that though Cairo is eminently qualified to handle any Federal appointment he is not desperate about it and has neither spoken or lobbied for the position, compared to Omo Agege who they claimed nominated himself by deceit.
Part of the statement reads “As we patiently await the Cabinet appointments of our dear President, we unequivocally cast our support to the nomination of our dear Delta Son and committed Party man Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.
“Aside from his tested and trusted Loyalty to the Party, Dr. Cairo possesses the required leadership and professional experience to pilot the affairs of any portfolio assigned to him.
“It is also imperative that we clear the air over a misleading statement made by the Party faction loyal to the former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege in which its Chairman Elder Omeni Sobotie made spurious and unfounded allegations against the person of Cairo Ojougboh.
“Contrary to the statement, it is in public knowledge that Ovie Omo-Agege and his group openly worked against President Tinubu prior to and during the Presidential elections.
“Unlike Ovie Omo-Agege, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh is not desperate to become a Minister of the Federal in as much as he is eminently qualified to head such a position.
“Omo-Agege and his group’s desperate moves to castigate the Cairo Ojougboh stems from the fact that he speaks the truth and refused to join them to work against President Tinubu during the elections and he never committed any offense.
“It is on record that Omo-Agege has been a serial betrayer of Tinubu during the existence of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), when he received campaign funds from Tinubu to run for Governorship under the Party’s platform in 2010. Agege acquired the ACN ticket but joined to work for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP for the second term emergence of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on his victory at the polls. This was evident as Omo-Agege hurriedly congratulated Uduaghan.
“He didn’t stop there , Omo-Agege recruited the now suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele’s to participate in the APC presidential primary to scuttle Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s ambition. In public glare Omo-Agege issued Emefiele the party’s membership card.
“Even after the emergence of Asiwaju Tinubu at the primaries while other rivals closed ranks to join hands to support Asiwaju, Omo-Agege still forged ahead to oppose Tinubu with his alliance with the Obedient movement went to support Peter Obi for the Presidential election inorder to get their support in return for his Governorship ambition.
“Omo-Agege never denied the campaign Billboards scattered all over Delta State bearing photos of himself and the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi. One of such was in the kwele- Asaba road, with the pictures of Obi/Datti for President, Omo-Agege/Osenabi for Governor and Deputy Governor. These Billboards were trending all over social media and Agege till this moment has not dissociated himself from them.
“The funds meant to project the Presidential elections for Asiwaju were hoarded until after the Presidential elections. The few persons who received money were instructed to keep the money for the Governorship elections.”
“His loss at the Governorship polls was due to his already tainted image, starting from the Maze snatching scandal in 2018 when he led armed thugs to the National Assembly to grab the Senate’s maze during plenary which is still indelible in the minds of Nigerians not only Deltans.
“More unfortunate is the fact that Omo-Agege was referred to a mental Reformatory Training in the United States, this was admitted in evidence at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba in the material evidence provided by the Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, challenged Agege’s qualification to contest the APC primaries.
“The court also admitted in evidence that Omo-Agege, submitted false Affidavit in support of personal particulars in aid of his constitutional eligibility as Governor of Delta State but ended up lying under oath for the purpose of concealing the fact that he was not qualified to contest the election.
“Deltans decision to reject Agege at the polls due to his questionable and untrustworthy character as the court also admitted in evidence that he was indicted for criminal offenses and deported to Nigeria, from the United States of America”.
“It was also revealed at the court that Agege lied in his INEC Form EC9, by giving his name as Omo-Agege Ovie Augustine whereas in the same form in his West African Senior Secondary Certificate (WASSC), revealed the name as Agege Augustine.
“Omo-Agege’s association with the dreaded “Igbe Worshipers” also formed the reason he was rejected by Deltans. His dual citizenship with the United States as admitted as evidence by the court is also a major reason.
“Rewarding such a character with a ministerial position will not only spell doom for the party but for our nation’s democracy including President Tinubu’s administration.
“Ovie Omo-Agege due to his High handedness in collaboration with some leaders of the Party deliberately sidelined Cairo Ojougboh and other notable leaders of the Party from participating in the campaign activities. It was in public knowledge that Ovie Omo-Agege was an unsellable candidate.
“We have evidence that Cairo spent his personal funds to support President Tinubu including that of Omo Agege despite his sidelining. Cairo commissioned over 5000 volunteers including a special committee of ex-militants to tour the 25 local government areas of the state and South South region to promote the candidatures of Asiwaju and that of Agege, this in addition to hundreds of Vehicles and thousands of party campaign souvenirs.
“The likes of Omo-Agege and his cohorts should bow their heads in shame, rather than engage in blackmail to tarnish the image of Cairo Ojougboh. They are jittery that he performed excellently at all positions he held and that he will replicate such whenever he is tapped or engaged for any Federal appointment.
“We urged our dear President to disregard such malicious statements to tarnish the image of Cairo Ojougboh. We trust his capacity to reward loyal party members and bring in the unity we all all yearn for into our great party.
