Thousands Of Civil Society Members Stage Vote Ofehe Walk In Delta, Says YPP Guber Candidate Is A Goal

Tens of thousands of civil society organizations members, on Monday, trooped out to express solidarity for one of their own, Comrade Sunny Ofehe, the governorship candidate of Young Progressive Congress (YPP) in Delta state, urging Deltans to turn out en masse on Saturday March 11, to vote for him overwhelmingly.

Members of the civil society organizations, in their numbers took the ‘vote Sunny Ofehe’ solidarity road walk to Asaba, the state capital, marching through the streets starting from the Stephen Stadium down to popular Ogbogonogbo market, Grand Hotel and back to the Stadium.

The solidarity road walk tagged “Civil Society Organizations Road walk in support of Comrade Sunny Ofehe, the Young Progressive Party -YPP Governorship Candidate”, was led by representatives of nine different nongovernmental organizations.

They said that the road walk was a way of rallying support and appealing to the electorates to come out en masse on Saturday to cast their vote for Ofehe, an environmental rights activist of international repute.

They were chanting solidarity and victory songs as they marched through the roads distributing campaign flyers containing Ofehe’s message of hope to the masses.

Speaking during the road walk, representative of Courageous Girls Women and Children Initiative, Ayovuata Courage Uyoyou, said that it became necessary for all civil society organizations in the state to march side-by-side with Ofehe as he journey through the path to Government House Asaba through the ballot in March 11.

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According to her, “Comrade Ofehe is one of us, he has proven his worth in the civil society space over the years and now bringing his wealth of experience to bear in the ‘Fix-Delta’ project. We’re very optimistic about his candidacy because the general opinion is that both PDP and APC have failed and should be change”.

She urged all eligible voters in the state to replicate their last outing by coming out en masse to vote for YPP governorship candidate, in the next Saturday election.

One of the civil society leader, who gave his name as Phil Badaki, said that civil society organizations in the state with over 5000 members including volunteers were rooting for Ofehe’s YPP as the choice political party as far as governorship is concern.

He said that they have already endorsed Ofehe and adopted YPP as their party for the gubernatorial election and there be no turning back, expressing optimism that comes March 11, “YPP is a goal”.

Other notable leaders of the civil society coalition who spoke in turns, were unanimous with their choice of YPP and commended Ofehe for the courage to push his campaign through knowing fully well that he was an independent candidate with no financier and no baggages.

The CSOs were represented by Total care for peace and development Initiative, Phil Badaki, Levites Initiative: Mr Samuel, The humanitarian foundation : Mrs Onyekachi, Greensphere Initiative: Green Activist Agboro Harrison, Courageous Girls Women and Children Initiative : Represented by Ayovuata Courage Uyoyou, Glorious hands of God’s home initiative, Mrs Rose, and Searching a a plus women and children initiative: represented by Mrs Ndidiamaka Favour Onwuatuelo.

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Earlier, Ofehe while addressing the CSOs members said that as a CSO advocate for more than 25 years, “I understand the significance of CSO in governance”, adding that when elected he will through executive order make civil society organizations the fourth arm of government so as to be able to drive policies and programmes.

He said: “I was a Special Guest speaker at the CSO interactive and engagement session held week ago in Asaba, by the coalition of civil society organisations in Delta State. I have promised Deltans that Civil Society Organisations(CSO) will be my fourth arm of Government. As a CSO advocate for more than 25 years, I understand the significance of CSO in governance.

“My Government will setup a Civil Society Trust fund that will ensure yearly institutional funding for established CSOs in the State. I will ensure that we have a monthly interactive session with all CSOs in the State.

“I also understand the challenges faced by CSO due to neglect and lack of sufficient support from the government. The coalition were unanimous in the declaration of support for my candidacy”, he enthused.