Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State, Halims Agoda, has lashed out at critics of the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, over his appointments of media aides which excluded people from his Urhobo ethnic nationality.
Agoda particularly tongue-lashed Latimore Oghenesivwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for scathing remarks against Omo-Agege’s decision on the appointments, describing the attacks as myopic.
Agoda said it was the prerogative of the Senate deputy president to appoint who should be his media aides.
“The Urhobo nation are profoundly grateful to all the senators who elected him as Senate deputy president and we, as Urhobo people, have been conferred with participatory inclusiveness in the art of national parliamentary democracy.
“It may interest Latimore to know that former president, Goodluck Jonathan and the former governor of Rivers and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, had in the past appointed their media aides from Delta State, (Ughelli North and South) and it was never read on pages of newspapers. So, l don’t know what is the business of Latimore over who Omo-Agege appoints as his media aides.
“When fate throws up new player of significance in the political realm at the national level, dysfunctional discordant sentiments are spewed by persons in the opposition camps, considering the recent effusive diatribe dripping with hate-tears by persons who believe Omo-Agege should have called a town-hall meeting to deliberate on who to be appointed as media aides.
“This is a misconception and poverty of knowledge of the fundamentals of national political engagements, as the Senate deputy president was elected from among senators and by senators of equal mandate across the nation, so, the realms of the functions and authority of Omo-Agege preclude exclusionism as such new roles transcend catering only to his home constituency.
“Therefore, given his new and wider scope of responsibilities to the Nigerian people, Omo-Agege has not by any stretch of the imagination breached any moral, social or political code by looking beyond his district to appoint his support staff as Senate deputy president.
“The objections raised by my brother in PDP, Oghenesivwe, are clearly understood considering the fact that opposition in politics is seen as relevant only when rationality is sacrificed on the altar of political expediency and self-interest.
“However, having appointed a Delta central citizen as his chief of staff, on the ground of political maturity and consideration, he adopt liberalism in dispensing opportunities to the other parts of the country which he now serves as their Senate deputy president,” he submitted.