Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has accused Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration in Delta State of failing to translate the state’s massive public revenues into meaningful development, saying the state has little to show for it despite receiving more than N3.15 trillion in the last three years.
“Despite the receipt of over N3.15 trillion in three years, there’s nothing on the ground in Delta State other than three or four flyovers, as if flyovers are what governance is all about,” he said.
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The former deputy Senate president also alleged that about N750 billion of Delta State funds were lying idle with the Central Bank of Nigeria, accusing the government of lacking the capacity to deploy the resources to address pressing challenges facing residents.
The criticism came as Mr Omo-Agege formally declared support for Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election following his defection from the ruling APC to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
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Asked who he would support for president in 2027, he replied: “Of course, it’s Peter Obi of the NDC.”
Mr Omo-Agege said his backing for Mr Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, did not amount to a rejection of the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms.
According to him, the policies were necessary and supported by Mr Obi, but Nigerians would have greater confidence in their implementation under the NDC candidate.
The former APC governorship candidate also claimed that the ruling party abandoned him and his supporters in Delta State after Governor Oborevwori and his political associates joined the APC.
“I never left the APC. The APC left me and left my over 240,000 supporters in Delta State,” Mr Omo-Agege said.
Mr Omo-Agege further renewed his claim that he won the 2023 governorship election in Delta but was denied victory.
Although he ruled out contesting the governorship in 2027, he said the NDC had settled on a candidate capable of tackling insecurity, poor healthcare, failing schools and economic hardship in the oil-rich state.
