Lawmaker urges Governor to appoint opposition into cabinet

The senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, has urged the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to bring credible opposition into his cabinet

The senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, has urged the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to bring credible opposition into his cabinet

Thomas elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, stated this on Sunday, shortly after attending Oborevwori’s first anniversary thanksgiving service in Asaba, the state capital.

The governor is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The senator called on politicians to move away from primitive politics, where the opposition is considered to be an enemy, charging them to emulate the disposition of President Bola Tinubu, who appointed members of the opposition to his cabinet.

He said, “First, 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 APC, PDP and all other parties. I am to represent all and bring the dividend of democracy to our people.

“Oborevwori extended an invitation to all the senators from Delta State, irrespective of their political leaning, is the smartest and wisest thing that he has done.

“It would be very timid and very disrespectful of me to have turned down such an invitation, though we are from different political divides.

“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.”

The senator said as a member of the APC, he would choose to imitate his leader, President Tinubu, by embracing all in governance.

“Moreover, I am a senator today because Delta State exists. I am also a critical stakeholder in Delta State. For emphasis sake, I represent one-third of the state and my other two colleagues from Delta State represent two-thirds of the state.

“As an APC member, I should imitate my APC supreme leader in the person of His Excellency, Bola Tinubu, 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 recognised the fact that he is the president of everyone in Nigeria.”

He commended Oborevwori for being broad minded like the president while encouraging him to be inclusive in governance.

“I am waiting for the day he will appoint credible members of the opposition party to his cabinet.

“I also want to say that, I am not aware of the president giving a directive to MDA of the government to pass all Federal Government intervention programmes through only APC members, rather all intervention programmes are routed through the various state governors, irrespective of their political affiliation. And this is the way to go,” he said.

He said having been elected, lawmakers, governors and other elected officials could be in different parties but must have one common goal, which is the empowerment of the people and the development of the country.