Ovie Omo-Agege

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
PresidentAhmad Lawan
Preceded byIke Ekweremadu
Succeeded byBarau Jibrin
Senator for Delta Central
In office
9 June 2015  11 June 2023
Preceded byAkpor Pius Ewherido
Succeeded byEde Dafinone
Personal details
Born (1963-08-03) 3 August 1963
Orogun, Mid-Western Region, Nigeria (now in Delta State)
Political partyAll Progressives Congress
SpouseRosemary Omo-Agege[1]
Residence(s)Abuja, Nigeria
Alma materUniversity of Benin
Profession
  • Politician
  • lawyer

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

Omo-Agege was born on 3 August 1963 in Delta State. He attended St. George Grammar school, Obinomba Obiaruku, Delta State.[10]

Education

He 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

Omo-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

Omo-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

In 2018, he was accused of leading thugs to invade the Nigerian Senate Chambers and made away with the Senate Mace[20]

Personal life

Omo-Agege is married to Rosemary Omo-Agege[4] and they both have five children.

Awards and recognitions

In 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

  1. "Clergy decries reign of hate amongst politician, condemns insecurity". 23 February 2020.
  2. Chioma, Unini (9 October 2022). "[FULL LIST] Again, FG Releases List Of Nominees For Nigeria's National Honours Awards 2022". TheNigeriaLawyer. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  3. "APC'll produce next President, Omo-Agege boasts". Punch Newspapers. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  4. "Profile: Senator Ovie Omo-Agege: the man who 'snatched' Senate's mace". Memorila. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  5. "Omo-Agege emerges deputy senate president". Punch Newspapers. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  6. "Omo-Agege emerges Deputy Senate President". P.M. News. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  7. "Breaking: Omo-Agege thrashes Ekweremadu, emerges Deputy Senate President". Vanguard News. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  8. "BREAKING: Omo-Agege Defeats Ekweremadu To Emerge Deputy Senate President". Channels Television. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  9. Breaking : Senator Ovie Omo-Agege Elected Nigeria 9th Assembly Deputy Senate President More Details : https://ejesgist.ng/breaking-senator-ovie-omo-agege-elected-nigeria-9th-assembly-deputy-senate-president.html
  10. "Things you should know about Senator Ovie Omo-Agege". 18 April 2018.
  11. "10 things you need to know about Senator Ovie Omo-Agege accuse". Dailytrust.com.ng. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  12. Aderuku, Olaniyi (11 June 2019). "Profile of Ovie Omo-Agege, former SSG now Deputy Senate President". InsideMainland. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  13. "PERSONALITY: OBARISI OVIE OMO-AGEGE; A MAN WITH MILK OF KINDNESS FLOWING IN HIS VEINS".
  14. "7 things you must know about controversial lawmaker, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege – Daily Post Nigeria". 18 April 2018.
  15. "Delta 2023: Omo- Agege, Ogboru in battle of wits". Vanguard News. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  16. "Senator dumps Labour Party for APC". 7 March 2017.
  17. "Breaking: Omo-Agege emerges as the deputy senate president". Oak TV Newstrack. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  18. Nnamdi, Onyirioha (11 June 2019). "Breaking: Senator Omo-Agege emerges deputy Senate president". Legit.ng – Nigeria news. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  19. Kwaku, Cypher Drizzle (1 December 2019). "Delta APC Bleeds as Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege Emerges South-South APC Leader". EJES GIST – Top Naija News & Hot Nigeria Jobs. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  20. "Omo-Agege, lawmaker who allegedly led thugs to steal mace, emerges Deputy Senate President". 11 June 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  21. Oboh (10 October 2022). "Atanomeyovwi celebrates Omo-Agege on conferment of National Award". Vanguard News. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
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