Ovie Omo Agege is a Nigerian politician and lawyer. He was born on August 3, 1963, in Orogun, Delta State, Nigeria. He currently serves as the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, a position he has held since June 2019.

Omo Agege's political career started in 2003 when he contested and won a seat in the Delta State House of Assembly. He served as the Deputy Majority Leader during his time in the State House of Assembly.

In 2007, Omo Agege contested and won a seat in the Nigerian Senate under the platform of the Labour Party. However, he later defected to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), where he served as the Secretary of the PDP caucus in the Senate.

Early Life and Education

Ovie Omo Agege was born into the family of the late Chief James Omo-Agege of Urhobo extraction in Orogun, Delta State. He attended St. George's Grammar School, Obinomba, Delta State, where he obtained his West African Senior School Certificate in 1980.

He later proceeded to the University of Benin, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree in 1985. Omo Agege was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986 and proceeded to obtain a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from Tulane University Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1988.

Legal Career

Ovie Omo Agege started his legal career in the United States, where he worked in various law firms as a lawyer. He also served as an adjunct professor of law at the Southern University Law Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and as an associate editor of the Tulane Law Review.

He returned to Nigeria in 2002 and set up his law firm, Agege & Co. He has since handled several high-profile cases in Nigeria, including the case of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) versus the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) on the conduct of the 2010 local government elections in Delta State.

Political Career

Ovie Omo Agege's political career started in 2003 when he contested and won a seat in the Delta State House of Assembly. He served as the Deputy Majority Leader during his time in the State House of Assembly.

In 2007, Omo Agege contested and won a seat in the Nigerian Senate under the platform of the Labour Party. However, he later defected to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), where he served as the Secretary of the PDP caucus in the Senate.

In 2015, he contested and won a seat in the Nigerian Senate under the platform of the Labour Party but later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2017.

In June 2019, Omo Agege was elected as the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, becoming the first Urhobo senator to hold such a position.

Legislative Contributions

Ovie Omo Agege has sponsored and co-sponsored several bills and motions in the Nigerian Senate. Some of his notable contributions include:

• The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB): Omo Agege was a member of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) and played a key role in the passage of the PIGB, which seeks to reform the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
• The Nigerian Peace Corps Bill: Omo Agege sponsored this bill, which seeks to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps as a paramilitary organization to promote peace and youth development in Nigeria.
• The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill: Omo Agege co-sponsored this bill, which seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities and promote their full participation in Nigerian society.

Controversies

Ovie Omo Agege has been involved in several controversies during his political career. Some of the notable ones include:

• Suspension from the Nigerian Senate: In April 2018, Omo Agege was suspended from the Nigerian Senate for 90 legislative days for allegedly making derogatory comments about the Senate's amendment of the Electoral Act. He, however, challenged his suspension in court and was eventually reinstated.
• Mace Theft: On April 18, 2018, hoodlums invaded the Nigerian Senate, carted away the mace, and disrupted legislative proceedings. Omo Agege was later identified as the mastermind of the mace theft, but he denied the allegations.
• Court Conviction: In 2019, Omo Agege was convicted by a court in the United States for violating the country's law on insider trading. The court ordered him to pay a fine of $50,000 and barred him from practicing law in the United States.

Final Thoughts

Ovie Omo Agege is a prominent Nigerian politician and lawyer who has made significant contributions to the country's legal and political landscape. He has sponsored and co-sponsored several bills and motions in the Nigerian Senate, some of which have been instrumental in shaping the country's legislative framework.

Despite his achievements, Omo Agege has been involved in several controversies, including his suspension from the Nigerian Senate and his conviction in the United States for insider trading.

Regardless of his past controversies, Omo Agege's political career continues to thrive, and he remains an influential figure in Nigerian politics.