THE Dein of Agbor kingdom, Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State, HRM, Dr Benjamin Keagborekuzi 1, has advised the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to guard against bitter rivalry and bloodshed in the build up and during the 2023 general election.
He said Nigerians were in dire need of good leadership that would revive the country’s dwindling economy and not guns and bloodshed.
The monarch gave the advice when the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who was in Agbor with chieftains of the APC for the grand reception in honour of the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, paid him a courtesy visit at his palace.
He said: “I will leave with saying please, both parties, remember that we are all one people and Nigerians that have friends that cut across both parties. Both ways, PDP are not your enemies, APC are not your enemies. Please let’s take Nigeria to the next level; let’s take Nigeria forward.
“At the end of the day, what we are looking for is peace; what we are looking for is development, I know that we can have it. If the United States of America has decided that its largest consulate that they are going to build in the world is going to be in Nigeria, it means that throughout all the turbulence, the USA has confidence in this country, has confidence in Nigeria. And, it is your time as a party that that has happened.
“We must bring back peace, because it’s that peace we will use to invigorate and bring business back to this country, which we desperately need right now.
“Whether the APC or PDP, we want to take the country forward; but we don’t need guns, we don’t need the violence. Please bring in your brain power to take this country to the next level.”
On his part, Omo-Agege said that he could not sneak into his domain without paying the monarch homage.
Meanwhile, at the old Bendel Hotel ground, venue of the reception organized by the people of Ika federal constituency, Omo-Agege said his declaration for the state governorship seat in 2023 last Thursday, had rattled the PDP.
“They don’t want the truth told to the people; they are unhappy for saying the bitter truth. Okowa has not been able to sleep since I told the people the truth,” he said.
Alleging that a total of about N168 billion had been wasted on political thugs in the last seven years of the Senator Ifeanyi Okowa administration, he told Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to provide answers to how his administration has justifiably spent about N800 billion it has so far received as revenue in about seven years.
He described Felix Morka as a worthy son of Ika-land and a committed member of the APC whose membership of the party’s National Executive Council, NEC, would strengthen the influence of Delta State and the South-South geopolitical zone.
He noted that the reception for Morka was another epoch event highliting the rising profile of Agbor people and the Ika nation in general.
In his remarks, Morka expressed gratitude to the people of Ika federal constituency for organizing the reception in his honour and commended Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and several sons and daughters of the Ika ethnic nationality, Deltans other South-South leaders who tirelessly worked behind the scene to ensure that he was successful at the March national convention of the APC.
He said: “People simply focus on the distractions, they frame the issues in advancing their own self interest but the fact of the matter is that in every sector you look, this party and the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has moved us quantum leap forward from where we were in 2015. That’s incontrovertible.
“Now as the National Publicity Secretary of APC, my job which I intend to do with a lot of vigor, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of candour is to lead evidence based arguments and facts to our people so they see it’s not what they think. People are paraphrasing this government in an unfair way.
“But my role now will be to go out there and tell our story and retake the public space for our party and prepare us properly for what is to come which is the general elections, come 2023. So, I am ready to speak, that is the job I have been given to the best of my ability.”
On his hosting by the Ika people, he said; “I am both excited and humbled by this entire experience. Humbled by the fact that our people from Ika South, Ika North East who comprise the federal Constituency thought it necessary by their own volition to honour me today and not only did they honour me in that manner, they also brought some of our finest leaders, the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege to come to Agbo today, brought our Distinguished Senator Nwaoboshi to come here today and so many other dignitaries like our chairman today, Engr Hyacinth Enuha, that I adore. He is a father. So, for him to take time to come to Agbor for this was just remarkable.
“So, I am just thankful, I don’t think it’s anything that I have done to deserve this. So I give glory to God. But I think that at the end of the day, this is really the inspiration that I need to go out there to speak vehemently for our Party, to speak courageously for our party. To speak with candour. To tell our story, because I think that’s what we need right now maybe we haven’t done so well to tell the story of this party, because this party has done an amazing job”.