By Our Reporters
21, September 2026
Warri -The legislative history of the Federal Medical Centre, Ovwian Bill has become a subject of political dispute between the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, member representing Ughelli North / Ughelli South / Udu Federal Constituency.
The disagreement stems from a statement credited to Hon. Waive at a campaign event in Udu recently in which he alleged that Senator Omo-Agege, then Deputy President of the Senate in the 9th Assembly, asked him to step down the FMC Ovwian Bill to clear the way for the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun Bill.
Omo-Agege Camp: Timeline Does Not Support Claim
Reacting in a statement dated 21st September, 2027 and signed by Godwin Anaughe, Special Adviser, Strategy and Communications, Senator Omo-Agege denied that he summoned or asked Hon. Waive to abandon the bill.
The statement argued that the claim is inconsistent with the legislative timeline.
According to the Omo-Agege camp, presidential approval for the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun was confirmed on 23rd February, 2021.
It stated that Hon. Waive’s FMC Ovwian Bill (HB. 989) did not get its Second Reading until 16th November, 2021, and its Third Reading on 29th September, 2022 — nearly nine months and nineteen months respectively after the Polytechnic approval.
On that basis, the statement questioned what reason Senator Omo-Agege would have to ask that the FMC Bill be stood down.
The statement also cited Senator Omo-Agege’s record in the 9th Senate, stating that he presided over the Senate’s approval of the Federal University of Education, Isiokolo Bill sponsored by Hon. Ben Ibakpa, and co-sponsored the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Aboh (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 733), sponsored by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, as contained in the Senate Order Paper of 1st June, 2021.
The camp argued that this shows a history of supporting bills from other lawmakers.
The statement challenged Hon. Waive to provide the date, venue and witnesses to the alleged conversation.
Waive Camp: Approval Does Not Prove Conversation Did Not Happen
In a counter-statement dated 21st September, 2026 from the Media Office of Hon. Waive, the lawmaker said he stands by his account.
The Waive camp stated that the existence of a presidential approval for the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun is not in dispute, but that an approval document cannot by itself prove that a private conversation did not take place.
According to the statement, the relevant timeline should start from the First Reading of the FMC Ovwian Bill on 21st July, 2020, not the Second Reading.
It alleged that Senator Omo-Agege asked that the FMC Bill be stepped down and frustrated it on the grounds that it conflicted with the Polytechnic Bill.
The statement added that Hon. Waive assisted Omo-Agege’s Polytechnic Bill with concurrence in the House of Representatives.
The camp rejected comments about Hon. Waive’s legislative record and political history, stating that he was elected by constituents of Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu and that his record is available for public scrutiny. It also described personal attacks on his faith and person as unnecessary and urged a focus on substantive issues.
What Remains Unclear
Both sides have presented conflicting accounts of whether a private conversation took place and what its content was.
As of press time, this newspaper has not independently sighted the presidential correspondence for the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, the Order Papers cited for First, Second and Third Readings of the FMC Ovwian Bill, or any documentary record of the alleged private conversation.
Efforts to obtain independent verification of the documents from the National Assembly archives are ongoing.
