Why Agbarha-Otor Community Rejected the Proposed Relocation of Warri Government House to its Domain by DSP Ovie Omo-agege

 Ughelli-Delta State

7th March, 2023

Why Agbarha-otor Community Reject the Proposed Relocation of Warri Government House Annex to Agbarha-otor by the governorship candidate of the APC Mr. Ovie Omoagege

By Esabunor Andrew

Ahead of the governorship election slated for 11th March 2023, the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ovie Omoagege had invited Agbarha-otor Community leaders to a meeting in a bid to placate them over the redirection of the Defence Space Academy from Agbarha-otor to Orogun community with a view to getting the support of the people ahead of the governorship election holding on March 11th 2023. The DSP who had assured the people of Agbarha-otor previously that the project will be sited in Agbarha-otor Community, later reneged on his promise and instead of the earlier promise, redirected the project to his community Orogun. 

The decision of the DSP to site the army training school in his community has pitched the DSP against Agbarha-otor Community.

The community leaders had instructed their people not to vote for the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Ovie Omoagege. This decision prompted Omoagege to invite the community EXCOs for a meeting where the DSP made a promise to them that he will relocate the Government House Annex Warri to Agbarha-otor Community. He noted that it was an error on the part of the former governor Chief James Ibori to establish the government House Annex in Warri, adding that Ughelli north is the most suitable location for the government House Annex.

The community EXCOS thanked the DSP and promised to take the message back home to their people.

It was gathered that a meeting of the entire community was called at the instance of HRM , the Ovie of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom and the community people rejected the proposal , insisting that Omoagege's plan is to relocate the government House to Orogun, not Agbarotor as he promised.

One of the community Excos who spoke to us on condition of anonymity disclose that the DSP has used his position to channel all federal projects proposed for different parts of the state to his community. He listed some of the projects to include:

Federal polytechnic Orogun

Nigerian Law School Orogun

Nigerian Defence Space Academy Orogun

Oil and gas industrial park Orogun

Independent power plant Orogun

Jamb CBT centre Orogun

They berated the DSP for using his position to relocate all federal projects proposed in Urhobo land to Orogun community.

According to the source, the community is insisting that the defence space academy should be returned to Agbarha-otor, otherwise the people won't vote for Omo-agege in the March 11th gubernatorial election.

Meanwhile, work is ongoing at the site of the Nigerian space academy orogun as at the time of filling this report.

All efforts to reach the DSP Ovie Omoagege were proved abortive as calls made to his lines were unanswered.