Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE Senator-elect, Delta South Senatorial District, Hon. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, has called on the electorate in Delta State to vote massively for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship and House of Assembly elections billed for Saturday March 11, 2023.
Hon. Joel-Onowakpo made the call in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State, titled, “Governorship & State Assembly Elections: Let’s Follow The Progressive Pathway.”
He said that it would amount to a wasteful venture if Deltans voted for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party ((PDP), which, according to him, has not been able to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people in its 24 years of holding on to power.
Hon Joel-Onowakpo, who specially thanked the people of Delta South Senatorial District for the confidence reposed in him and the APC that saw his emergence as the Senator-elect, said it was only proper for the people of the state to vote APC to usher in the desired growth and development.
“My dear people of Delta South, it has become imperative that I come out openly as your Senator-elect to address you as we go into the March 11 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
“As you are aware, my major priority and interest is the growth, progress, and development of Delta South and our dear State. Therefore, I am here to give you reasons why, as a people, we must jettison personal ego, gain, and interest for the overall progress of our senatorial district.
“Before I begin, may I once again appreciate and thank you for giving me your mandate as your senator-elect in the soon to be inaugurated 10th National Assembly. Let me reaffirm and reiterate that I shall not disappoint you or betray the confidence you have reposed in me. The betterment of our senatorial district shall always be my guiding principle,” he pledged.
According to him, “Having said that, please permit me to say that the work of making our senatorial district better, developed, and more recognized is a collective one. Of course, I cannot do it alone without your support and cooperation. Hence, I am craving your indulgence to please support me in every way. so that we can transform our district together to the delight and envy of others.
“As we go to the polls on Saturday to choose the next set of leaders to pilot the affairs of our state in the next four years, one of the support I seek from you is to elect leaders that will support my programmes and agenda for Delta South. This will make the development of Delta South easier, more efficient, and more effective.
“As your senator, I would need a firm support and backing of our State Governor to approach critical issues at the National Assembly and Presidency in terms of lobbying for mega projects, attracting development, empowerment, appointments and seeking important approvals in favour of Delta South.”
The Delta South Senator-elect emphasised that the implementation of certain Federal Government policies and programmes that could be of great benefit to us as a people will not be possible without a supportive governor who also enjoys federal support.
“More importantly, it will be a great disservice to our dear state and mostly Delta South that lays the golden egg in terms of revenue generation in the country to have an opposition government.
“Should we follow such an inglorious path, we would have relegated our dear state before the next federal government takes the mantle of office. This we can not afford at this very crucial time.
“Based on the foregoing and other reasons that I may not be able to stress here, I am humbly appealing that you vote for the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), His Excellency, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate. Also, I equally urge you to vote for ALL APC House of Assembly candidates in all the State Constituencies across Delta South. These lawmakers will not just make laws that will make our state work. They would also liaise with the state Governor and my humble self to attract development to our respective constituencies.
“A vote for APC come Saturday is a vote for transformation, progress, development, transparency and accountability as well as a government that will work for all Deltans irrespective of tribe, language, religious or political party affiliations.
“My dear Delta South people, we all have a responsibility to make our state better and to properly reposition it as an investment destination. This feat has not been achieved in the last 24 years of the government of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and would not be achieved in the next four years under the same PDP.
“The only path to greatness that is available for us right now is to elect Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC, and I can guarantee you progress like we have not witnessed before in Delta State Therefore, come out en masse and vote for APC all through , on Saturday, 11th March, 2023. After doing this, you can leave the rest for us and again, I assure you that we will not disappoint you.”