..Pulling down the good name of men who have achieved Olympian height is cheap and unprogressive By Frank Tietie Recently, a group of persons has been engaged in a baseless campaign against the Deputy Senate President (DSP), Mr. Ovie Omo-Agege, demanding that he resigns for a yet to be established fact of whatever happened more than 20 years ago while he practised law in the United States of America (U.S). Having read the facts based rebuttal by Mr. Yomi Odunuga, the Media Aide to the Senator, I am convinced that there are no political and legal basis to fault the emergence of Omo-Agege as a Senator and also as the number citizen in the Red Chamber. The incontrovertible and relevant facts are that: firstly, Omo-Agege contested and won the election into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to represent the people of Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State who are the Urhobo people of Nigeria. Despite being an enigmatic politician, whether or not we understand his style of politics, I, myself, having sharply criticized him in the past, time has only come to prove that he is such a broad minded politician with a strong national appeal. Thus, Omo-Agege’s political prowess became evident when his colleagues at the Nigerian Senate elected him as the Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Beyond national politics, Omo-Agege has displayed a consistent commitment to the welfare and cause of the Urhobo people. Since the 2nd Republic days of the most Distinguished Senator David Dafinone, the Urhobo people have never truly felt a sense of pride and progressive national representation as much as the Omo-Agege has currently done in such a short time in the Nigerian Senate. I have chosen to commend him for this achievement. The sponsorship of the bills on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions and the one for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic in Orogun, Delta State are a few significant testimonials of the man’s commitment to improvement of the standards of human relations and human capacity development. I am very happy with him. Since his emergence as Deputy Senate President, Omo-Agege has endeared himself to the Nigerian people in the dispassionate and detribalised way and manner he has so far managed his office in response to issues of national concern. Now, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) superintends and manages issues regarding qualifications for election into the National Assembly, as provided in the Constitution and the Electoral Act. Indeed, such issues of qualification for elections are essentially legal in nature. INEC has however conducted its screening and ultimate election of Ovie Omo-Agege as a senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District and, the Courts have so confirmed. Therefore, the matter of the qualification of Omo-Agege as a Senator has been laid to rest and his further emergence both as Senator and Deputy Senate President can no longer be faulted in any way until he presents himself for another election before his detractors can begin their puny political games of image attack. As of this moment, attempts to fault the emergence of Senator Omo-Agege can be described as a wild goose chase. It will amount to nothing. It is useless and a waste of time. It is in fact, a malicious attack against the interest of Urhobo people which is highly unacceptable and will be seriously resisted and, possibly punished according to law. Such cheap political chicaneries against the person of the Distinguished Senator Omo-Agege must stop forthwith as it is going too far, for indeed, politics must have its limits, especially when it comes to the highly valued and defined interests of a people bound together by a common history and strong culture of respect for elders. I therefore join all well meaning Urhobo People at home and abroad to express support for the Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and use this opportunity to seriously warn mischief makers who covertly work against the interest of the Urhobo people to desist from such unprofitable enterprises that do no good. All Urhobo people and indeed Nigerians must join hands in working together to build and promote what is good for all. Such will be in the interest of a better and progressive Nigeria. Tearing down the good name of men who have attained noble heights is cheap and unprogressive. Frank Tietie: Lawyer, Human Rights Advocate and Media Personality, writes from Abuja.