By Samson Adarha
Delta South Senatorial District Senator-Elect, of the state, Hon. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas said the candidate that he will support for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly will emerge through a credible process that is backed by the majority of members.
Hon. Joel-Onowakpo stated this in Warri in a chat with newsmen on issues ranging from his humble beginning: his expectations from NASS and how he intends to represent Delta South Senatorial District.
On the on-going leadership tussle for the 10th Assembly, Joel-Onowakpo said, he was not aware that any individual has been endorsed, adding he considered it a mere speculation just as he said, to the best of his knowledge, the president Elect, Senator Ahmed Tinubu has not endorsed anybody and he appealed to the press not to give president elect unnecessary baggage because of the sensitive nature of the position in question.
According to him, due process should be followed to get a person who will emerge adding; the candidates should be able to earn the respect and trust of their colleagues, failure which, the President- Elect will take side.
He said: “I will expect that whoever emerges should be so from a process… So, if asked, I will say that the President-Elect, Senator Ahmed Tinubu, has not endorsed anybody to my knowledge. The field is free for all who are qualified to aspire.”
Hon. Joe-Onowakpo however assured Nigerians that the 10th National Assembly will not be rubber stamp as the last thing which he thinks, the National Assembly won’t want to reckon with rubber stamp. According to him, he does not have any candidate that he is in support as he has been on vacation.
He said:” I currently don’t have any candidates. I just came back, and I am still accessing my options, and I will finally align with the person who will support my vision in developing my Senatorial District and give the Senate the best of leadership. I have only one vote, I have no control of other Senators’ votes, and I intend to use that vote wisely.”
Hon. Joel-Onowakpo, a renowned chartered accountant and astute administrator said, his vision is to serve the people of his Senatorial District to the best of his ability, and to give them the best of representation for them to feel the impact of governance by enjoying the dividends of democracy. According to him, he intends to leave the office better than he met it saying, that is why during his campaigns, he anchored his manifesto on the acronym:” DUE “which stands for Drastic Infrastructure Development, Unique Empowerment Initiatives, and Effective Legislation. He said, Delta South Senatorial District deserve real infrastructural developments being one of the Senatorial Districts that lay the golden egg in terms of revenue generation to the treasury of this country.