The senator representing Delta South senatorial district in the national Assembly, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, popularly known as (JOT), has charged governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state to in the spirit sportsmanship and inclusiveness, appoint other members of the opposition party especially the All Progressive Congress, (APC), in the state into his cabinet.
The deputy chairman of the senate committee on defence, while calling on politicians to move away from primitive politics where the opposition is considered to be an enemy, particularly challenged governor Oborevwori to emulate the disposition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has appointed members of the opposition parties, especially the immediate past Rivers state governor, Nysome Woke as Minister of Capital Territory, Abuja into his cabinet.
Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, who gave the charge Sunday while speaking with journalists at the Living Faith church, (Winners chapel), Asaba shortly after the thanksgiving service of the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to Mark his one year anniversary in office, thank and commended the governor for extending invitation to all the senators from Delta state irrespective of their political leaning, adding that it was the smartest and wisest thing that the governor he has done, but would have been be timid and disrespectful of him to have turned down such an invitation even though they are from different political divide.
“I want to say that, His Excellency extending invitation to all the senators from Delta State irrespective of their political leaning is the smartest and wisest thing that he has done. And I think, it will be very timid and very disrespectful of me to turn such an invitation. The question I need to ask myself if I even think of turning down the invitation is, what do I intend to achieve? And very honestly, I will have no answer to such a question other than telling myself not to attend because the governor is a PDP governor. Which to me is pure nonsensical.
“As an APC member, I should imitate my APC supreme leader in person of, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who is so broad minded in not only relating with members of the opposition but even appointing His Excellency Nyesom Wike as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, because he recognized the fact that he is the president of everyone in Nigeria.
“Let me correct one thing. I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am not a senator for only APC members in my Senatorial District but a senator for both APC, PDP and all other parties. I am to represent all and bring the dividend of democracy to our people. Note also, the governor of Delta State is the Governor to everyone in Delta State and I do not think he is governor to only those who are PDP members.
“Moreover, I am a Senator today because Delta State exist, I am also a critical stakeholder in Delta State. For emphasis sake, I represent 1/3 of the State and my other two colleagues from Delta State represent 2/3 of the state. Finally, I want to encourage everyone to move away from primitive politics where the opposition is considered to be an enemy and as such must be punished. This country needs a cross fertilization of ideas to have rapid development. We are elected into office to represent our people whether you are APC, PDP or any other party. We can be in different parties but with one common goals- the empowerment of our people and the development of our environment. We most not lose sight of this. “
