The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori has slammed erstwhile Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege over his criticism of a “Governor of the Year” award he received from a media house.
Naijaonpoint understands that ThisDay had honoured Oborevwori with the “Governor of the Year” award.
However, Omo-Agege, during a visit to Kwale in Delta State on Saturday, accused Oborevwori of mortgaging the state’s resources for personal recognition.
Responding to the lawmaker allegations via a statement by the state’s Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, the governor defended the award, stating that it was given in recognition of his fiscal discipline and innovative governance.
“We thought we were alone in terms of observation of these giant strides of the governor, not knowing that even in faraway Lagos and Abuja, the editors of THISDAY and ARISE News, or rather the two media outlets, were also busy with their eagle eyes, taking copious notes,” Aniagwu said.
Aniagwu argued that Oborevwori truly deserved the award for his administration’s numerous completed and ongoing projects.
“We do not have issues with some persons in opposition, particularly our brother and leader, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. We are not stopping them from playing politics or making constructive criticisms because it emboldens us to do more, but to begin to ask what we are doing and why we were given the award is, at best, seen as ‘Pepper-body’,” Aniagwu remarked.
He advised Omo-Agege to desist from his political rivalry and acknowledge the progress being made in Delta State.
He said, “We expect that if their state has been picked as making progress, they should be happy. Trying to de-market the state because of personal interest is not in the interest of anybody.”
He also called on Omo-Agege to focus on the development of Delta State rather than political attacks.
“We plead with Omo-Agege that he should be fair as he engages in politicking, which we are not ready for at the moment because we have a covenant with the people of Delta to deliver on the MORE Agenda to advance development in our state. If he is asking our people of Ndokwa Nation what we have done for them, I will remind him that, in Ndokwa Nation, we have awarded no fewer than 15km of roads,” he added.