Delta Speaker Oborevwori: A Good Presiding Officer In The Saddle

Sheriff Oborevwori, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly has been in the news lately. Reasons being that, like the saying ‘there is time for everything’. There is times in one’s life to choose between accepting honour and turning down honor. Oborevwori is a honourable man and honour is given to a man whom honour is due.

Few weeks after he took the honour as a lawmaker of the year and a Nigerian parliamentarian of the year from a reputable newspaper organisation, the Speaker is on the news again after taking the legislature of the year award from an online publishers’ forum.

Seemingly, he could have turned down these awards of honour but it was his time. “I have been avoiding and turning many awards down but for the credibility and importance of DOPF, I will accept it”, Oborevwori told the Emmanuel Enebeli-led Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF), on Tuesday.

He was presented the DOPF ‘The Legislature Of The Year Award’ at his office flanked by two principal officers of the house and others including the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Ferguson Onwo (Isoko South 1 State Constituency), Minority Leader, Hon. Innocent Anidi (Ethiope East State Constituency), Hon. Solomon Ighrakpata (Uvwie State Constituency) and Hon. Anthony Elekokhure (Ika South Constituency). after missing the Forum’s 2021 Annual Lecture/Niger Delta Media Hall of Fame Induction and Awards held forthright ago.

The award came barely a week after he took the Independent Lawmaker of the year and Independent Nigerian Parliamentarian of the year awards that were widely celebrated by notable Nigerians including the former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

According to the DOPF’s leader, the Speaker who represents Okpe State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, was found worthy of the award following his pedigree and for delivery key projects to his constituents and the way he has been leading and managing the affairs of the State Assembly and being the longest serving Speaker in the history of the State.

Oborevwori who is the national Deputy Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of state legislatures of Nigeria, was elected Speaker after the then Speaker, Monday Igbuya was impeached.

He came into the Speakership as a first timer lawmaker on the 11th of May 2017 following the impeachment of Igbuya and was re-elected in 2019 as Speaker for a second term following his victory at the polls to represent his constituency, the Okpe State Constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly.

Since inception, Oborevwori had diligently piloted the affairs of the House and had recorded many feat that are well celebrated in Delta. Enebeli had stated some of the reasons why Oborevwori deserved the awards to include; passage of development and legacy bills namely, the financial autonomy bills for the State legislature and judiciary, establishment bills of three (3) new universities in Delta State; massive facelift of the Assembly complex and legislator’s quarters.

He said that Oborevwori had also led a peaceful and robust legislature amongst others.

An elated Oborevwori would later  dedicated the award to God Almighty and to his colleagues. He commended members of DOPF for their dedication to the ethics of journalism profession.

For the former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Speaker’s awards did not come to him as a surprise, describing him as “somebody that needs to be encouraged so that at the appropriate time, he will play a greater role not just for the people of his Constituency but the entire Delta State. I am looking forward to that”.

Ekweremadu said: “I know a good lawmaker, when I see one . This is my 18 years in the Senate and if I see a good presiding officer, I know because I was a presiding officer for 12 years. If I see a good presiding officer, I will also know and the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly is one of the best I have seen.

“He is not just a Speaker but a Leader and he has inspired alot of people. I have watched him closely and when I heard that he is being honoured by the Independent Newspaper, I promised him that I will attend because this is a well deserved honour from a reputable organisation and I believe in the business of lawmaking. He will be inspired more with these awards received by him in this ceremony today and I join others in congratulating him for these awards.

“The Speaker has been identified also by the media and he is someone that should be motivated by this honour. He has also assisted my friend, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in so many ways to ensure that there is good running in the administration of Delta State in ensuring that appropriate laws are made to help the Government succeed.

“So, he is part of the Government of Delta State and also part of the Government in this country. If there is no peace in Delta State, it means there will be no peace in the entire country. He has helped to maintain it not just the working relationship with the Governor but also the peaceful co-existence among the people of Delta State.

“He is somebody that has made friends across the country not just in South South region. I am from South East, he is one of my best friends. He is somebody that needs to be encouraged so that at the appropriate time, he will play a greater role not just for the people of his Constituency but the entire Delta State. I am looking forward to that”.

While receiving the awards, Rt Hon Oborevwori said; “This is an unexpected honour. I am elated, not just elated I am highly honoured with these Awards from the Independent Newspapers and I want to give God all the praises. These Awards are dedicated to God Almighty and to my very dear and dependable Colleagues. They are here in their numbers and this is a very great honour for me and I want to say that as from today, I will be addressing them as my bosses. If not for their support and show of love, I don’t think, these Awards would have been possible”.

“They have been very supportive and we are doing extremely well in the House. And I know that these Awards will spur us to do more by coming out with people-oriented laws for the people that elected us. We cannot afford to disappoint them and it is my promise to do more for Deltans and also thank His Excellency, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for his support to the Legislature. I must commend our very senior colleague in this business of law making, Senator Ike Ekweremadu for attending this ceremony and I am humbled with his encouraging words”.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Managing Director of Independent Newspaper, Mr Steve Omanufeme, said: “As part of our thought leadership initiative and commitment to the development of our great nation, Independent Newspaper Limited, in association with African Consolidated Analytical Limited (ACAL), decided to provide a platform to recognize, reward and celebrate lawmakers who have excelled in lawmaking and in their chosen intervention projects aimed at touching lives and changing society positively.

“It is for the above reasons that the Nigerian Parliamentary Excellence Awards is conceived.

“Over the years, many of us have struggled to understand the value of the legislature in a constitutional democracy. We are often quick to point out the many drawbacks of representative democracy, including the fact that elected officials are always not bound by law to fulfill promises made before their elections and that they are often seen to be promoting their own self-interests above the common good once elected.

“However, there are positives and they are many. The legislature in our country is one arm of the government that has preserved our fledgeling democracy, especially in the dark days of the third term agenda.

“Our past and current National and State Assemblies have indeed put much into the development of our great nation in terms of bills sponsored and passed into law and the impact of those laws on the development of our nation both at the national and state levels.

“This is in addition to various constituency projects commissioned and executed, which have positively impacted the lives of people in their respective constituencies.

“All these have, oftentimes, passed unacknowledged or unappreciated by many Nigerians. The vision, courage, passion, and determination some Nigerian lawmakers have demonstrated make the Nigerian Parliamentary Excellence Awards all the more compelling.

“Coming up with the list of deserving awardees for this maiden edition was no easy task given the large number of lawmakers and the incredible performances of all our legislatures”.

Meanwhile, forum of Non-sitting Members of the Delta State House of Assembly has commended the current leadership of the State House of Assembly for the existing cordial relationship between the various arms of government in the State.

Chairman of the Forum, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Ebireri gave the commendation when he led a high-powered delegation of the Forum on a courtesy visit to the Speaker at his office in Asaba.

Hon Ebireri in his address at the meeting which also saw a cream of principal officers of the State Legislature in attendance said; “The harmonious relationship between the State House of Assembly and the Executive Arms of Government is highly commendable”.

“This has helped in no small measure in sustaining the prevailing peace in the State as well as bringing about the remarkable development that has characterised the State over the past six years of the Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa administration”, he said.

‘it is an indisputable fact that peace is the panacea for growth and development. Therefore, we want to urge you, Mr Speaker and dear Honourable Members to sustain the existing cordial relationship with the executive so that the State can continue to enjoy unfettered peace, stability, growth and development”, he added.

Responding, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and National Deputy Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of state legislatures of Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori commended members of the Forum for identifying with the current lawmakers in the State.

He pledged the lawmakers continued synergy and partnership with the other arms of government towards driving the State programmes, policies and projects.

Meanwhile, apparently, Oborevwori appears to be someone to look at for in 2023 governorship of Delta. Political pundits say he is one of those being primed to takeover from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa comes 2023.