Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege CFR[2] (born 3 August 1963) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate from 2019 to 2023. He was the senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District from 2015 to 2023.[3]
Ovie Omo-Agege | |
|---|---|
| Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate | |
| In office 11 June 2019 – 11 June 2023 | |
| President | Ahmad Lawan |
| Preceded by | Ike Ekweremadu |
| Succeeded by | Barau Jibrin |
| Senator for Delta Central | |
| In office 9 June 2015 – 11 June 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Akpor Pius Ewherido |
| Succeeded by | Ede Dafinone |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 August 1963 Orogun, Mid-Western Region, Nigeria (now in Delta State) |
| Political party | All Progressives Congress |
| Spouse | Rosemary Omo-Agege[1] |
| Residence(s) | Abuja, Nigeria |
| Alma mater | University of Benin |
| Profession |
|
Omo-Agege was first elected to the Senate in 2015.[4] He is from the Orogun clan of the Urhobo ethnic group in Ughelli North local Government area of Delta State. He emerged the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate of the 9th National Assembly on 11 June 2019 after he defeated his rival, Ike Ekweremadu with a margin of 31 votes to win the second leadership position of the National Assembly.[5][6][7]
Omo-Agege was the first senator from Delta State to emerge as Deputy Senate President, and also the first Delta Central senator to be written by Perry.[8][9]
Early life
editOmo-Agege was born on 3 August 1963 in Delta State. He attended St. George Grammar school, Obinomba-Umukwata in Ukwuani Local Government Area, Delta State.[10]
Education
editHe graduated in 1985 from the University of Benin with a degree in Law. He was called to the Nigerian bar in 1986.[10]
In 2002, he obtained his master's degree in law from Tulane University Law School.[11]
Career
editOmo-Agege was deployed to Kwara State for his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He completed his NYSC with the Directorate of Criminal investigation and intelligence, Nigerian Police Force, Kwara State Command.[10] Omo-Agege started his career in law by working with Pat Okupa & Co. in Lagos in 1987.
In 1989, he co-founded a law firm; Agege & Co. Omo-Agege moved to the United States of America in 1990, where he worked as a foreign associate at Charles O Agege's law office in Los Angeles, California.
He was called to the State Bar of California, United States District Court and the United States Supreme Court, Washington, DC.[12] He returned to Nigeria in 1992 to establish Omo-Agege & Associates where he was also senior partner. In 1996, he merged his firm Omo-Agege & associates in a partnership resulting in the name Agege & Esin.[13]
Political life
editOmo-Agege started out in politics by contesting for the ticket to be a representative at the Delta State House of Representatives under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, a ticket he lost in the party primaries.
In 2003, former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, appointed Omo-Agege as an executive assistant, a position he held for two years. He was later appointed as a commissioner for special duties by the governor.[14] He ran for the office of the Governor of Delta State, but lost out at the People Democratic Party's primaries to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.[14] He was appointed as the Secretary to State Government of Delta State by Governor James Ibori in 2007. He ran for Senate in 2015 under the platform of the Labour Party. He was elected as a senator representing Delta central senatorial district on 28 March 2015.[15]
He defected from the Labour Party to All Progressive Congress (APC) on 7 March 2017.[16] He was re-elected as the senator representing Delta Central in 2019 general elections. On 11 June 2019, he emerged as the new Deputy Senate President of the 9th National Assembly[17] with 68 votes cast to beat Senator Ike Ekweremadu with 37 votes.[18] The South-South caucus of the APC, on Thursday 28 November 2019 chose the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, as the leader of the party in the region.[19]
Controversies
editIn 2018, he was accused of leading thugs to invade the Nigerian Senate Chambers and made away with the Senate Mace.[20]
Personal life
editOmo-Agege is married to Rosemary Omo-Agege[4] and they both have five children.
Awards and recognitions
editIn October 2022, Omo-Agege was conferred Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) by President Muhammadu Buhari.[21]
References
edit- ^ Oluwafunmilayo, Daramola (23 February 2020). "Clergy decries reign of hate amongst politician, condemns insecurity". The Nation. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ Chioma, Unini (9 October 2022). "[FULL LIST] Again, FG Releases List Of Nominees For Nigeria's National Honours Awards 2022". The Nigeria Lawyer. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ "APC'll produce next President, Omo-Agege boasts". The Punch. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Profile: Senator Ovie Omo-Agege: the man who 'snatched' Senate's mace". Memorila. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ Abimbola, Oluwakemi (11 June 2019). "Omo-Agege emerges deputy senate president". The Punch. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ Ugbodaga, Kazeem (11 June 2019). "Omo-Agege emerges Deputy Senate President". P.M. News. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ Ogbonna, Anthony (11 June 2019). "Breaking: Omo-Agege thrashes Ekweremadu, emerges Deputy Senate President". Vanguard. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Breaking: Omo-Agege Defeats Ekweremadu To Emerge Deputy Senate President". Channels TV. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ Don, Omajemite (17 March 2023). "Breaking : Senator Ovie Omo-Agege Elected Nigeria 9th Assembly Deputy Senate President". Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "Things you should know about Senator Ovie Omo-Agege". 18 April 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ Odeyemi, Joshua (18 April 2018). "10 things you need to know about Senator Ovie Omo-Agege accuse". Daily Trust. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ Aderuku, Olaniyi (11 June 2019). "Profile of Ovie Omo-Agege, former SSG now Deputy Senate President". InsideMainland. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
- ^ "Personality: Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege; A Man With Milk of Kindness Flowing in His Veins". 19 May 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2024 – via WordPress.
- ^ a b Inyang, Ifreke (18 April 2018). "7 things you must know about controversial lawmaker, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege – Daily Post Nigeria". Daily Trust. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ Umoru, Henry (7 February 2021). "Delta 2023: Omo- Agege, Ogboru in battle of wits". Vanguard. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Senator dumps Labour Party for APC". 7 March 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Breaking: Omo-Agege emerges as the deputy senate president". Oak TV Newstrack. 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ Nnamdi, Onyirioha (11 June 2019). "Breaking: Senator Omo-Agege emerges deputy Senate president". Legit.ng. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ Kwaku, Cypher Drizzle (1 December 2019). "Delta APC Bleeds as Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege Emerges South-South APC Leader". EJES Gist. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ Busari, Kemi (11 June 2019). "Omo-Agege, lawmaker who allegedly led thugs to steal mace, emerges Deputy Senate President". Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Atanomeyovwi celebrates Omo-Agege on conferment of National Award". Vanguard. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
Notes
edit- ^ Abaribe was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
- ^ Abbo was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in November 2020.
- ^ Akpan was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the YPP in July 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Ekpenyong was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal partially annulled the results and called a supplementary election in the affected areas. Ekpenyong won the ensuing rerun election and was sworn-in again in January 2020.
- ^ Oduah was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in August 2021 before returning to the PDP in April 2022.
- ^ Jika was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in June 2022.
- ^ Bulkachuwa was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in November 2022.
- ^ Gumau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Douye Diri was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Governor. Cleopas won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ The PDP's Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Deputy Governor. Dickson won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ a b In April 2022, Adamu and Kyari resigned from the Senate after taking APC party offices the month prior.
- ^ The PDP's Rose Okoji Oko was elected senator in 2019 but died in March 2020. Jarigbe and fellow PDP member Stephen Odey fought in court over the ensuing by-election's PDP nomination; Odey won both initial court decisions and the by-election before taking office late in December 2020. However, Jarigbe later won several court challenges which declared him the legitimate PDP nominee and thus senator. Jarigbe took office in September 2021.
- ^ Nwaoboshi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in June 2021.
- ^ Alimikhena was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
- ^ The APC's Adedayo Clement Adeyeye was elected senator in 2019 but the NASS Election Petition Tribunal awarded and Court of Appeal affirmed the win to Olujimi. She took office in November 2019.
- ^ Onyewuchi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the LP in June 2022.
- ^ Due to disputes over alleged irregularities, the APC's Benjamin Uwajumogu was not sworn in until July 2019. Uwajumogu died in December 2019 leading to a bye-election. After disputes, Ibezim was awarded the bye-election victory and took office in April 2021.
- ^ Due to disputes over the alleged forced declaration of his election, Okorocha was not sworn in until June 14, 2019.
- ^ Shekarau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022 then to the PDP in August 2022.
- ^ Babba Kaita was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in April 2022.
- ^ Aliero was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in May 2022.
- ^ Abdullahi was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Dino Melaye was elected senator in 2019 but Adeyemi petitioned against the results and the NASS Election Petition Tribunal annulled the results and called a new election. Adeyemi won the ensuing rerun election and took office in December 2019.
- ^ The APC's Adebayo Osinowo was elected senator in 2019 but died in June 2020. Abiru won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ Akwashiki was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the SDP in July 2022.
- ^ The APC's David Umaru was elected senator in 2019 but the Supreme Court awarded the APC primary win to Musa making him senator. He took office in July 2019.
- ^ Balogun was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
- ^ The APC's Ignatius Datong Longjan was elected senator in 2019 but died in February 2020. Daduut won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ The APC's Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal awarded the win to Abdullahi Danbaba. He took office in November 2019 as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in April 2022.
- ^ Bwacha was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in February 2022.
- ^ a b c Prior to inauguration, the APC's Zamfara votes were voided due to improper holding of party primaries. Thus the PDP runners-up took office. All three (Anka, Hassan Muhammed Gusau, Yaú) switched to the APC in June 2021. In February 2022, Muhammed Gusau resigned to become Zamfara Deputy Governor.