Immediate past Commissioner for Water Resources Development, Hon Samuel Mariere has described Friday’s victory of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.
Hon Mariere, a lawyer and a two-term member of the Delta State House of Assembly, said the tribunal’s verdict was an affirmation of the will of the people who turned out in their numbers on Election Day to vote for the PDP candidate on the contest, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
The former Lawmaker, therefore charged the APC candidate for the election, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who had challenged the outcome in the tribunal, to embrace the verdict and join millions of well-meaning Deltans and Nigerians to congratulate his brother, Sheriff Oborevwori.
According to Hon Mariere, it is a win-win situation for Delta Central and the entire Urhobo Nation, stressing that both the triumphant Governor and the immediate past Deputy President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are both great sons of Urhobo Nation.
He admonished Ovie Omo-Agege to sheath his sword, listen to voices of reasoning and jettison the push by some self-serving individuals to appeal Friday’s verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal for the 2023 Delta State Gubernatorial Election.
While urging the former Secretary to the State Government to join forces with Rt Hon Oborevwori to develop the state, Mariere explained that as a key player in the politics of Delta State, Omo-Agege’s wealth of experience would be of great value to the Advancing Delta Project of the Governor.
According to the two-term lawmaker, the MORE agenda of Governor Oborevwori captured the essence of good governance which requires the support of critical stakeholders in Delta State, including that of a Deltan who had attained the position of Deputy President of the Senate, to succeed.
He said “Interestingly, the two Excellencies, Sheriff and Ovie are brothers, friends and true sons of Urhobo Nation. The court cases have caused a lot of damage and must stop. I believe notable sons and daughters must speak out on the need to stop further litigation on who occupies the Government House as Governor.
“Through divine grace and votes by majority of Deltans, Sheriff was chosen and should be supported to succeed. No man can upturn the will and mercies of God. All these legal fireworks have caused so much disaffection amongst the Urhobos and should not be allowed to continue.
Continuing Hon Mariere stated, “My appeal to Ovie, is to embrace peace and to join others to congratulate Sheriff for the victory. It is a win-win situation for our people and posterity will be very kind to him for doing so. Those that may be pushing him to appeal the judgment do not mean well for Delta State, particularly the Urhobo Nation”.
The former Commissioner and member of the Delta State Executive Council, in the same vein, appealed to the two other guber candidates for the election, Chief Kenneth Gbagi and Ken Pela to embrace the emergence of Sheriff Oborevwori as Governor of Delta State in good faith and support him to develop Delta State.
He commended Deltans for their support so far to the Oborevwori’s administration and called for sustenance.
He said the Governor meant well for the state, stressing that patience and understanding of the people are needed to execute his lofty dreams of greater Delta State.