IDU President: Tinubu’s Approval of FMC Oleh Shows Senator Joel-Onowakpo’s Senate Mandate Is Delivering Results
The President of the Isoko Development Union (IDU) Worldwide, Professor Chris Akpotu, has declared that the Isoko Nation’s decision to elect Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas to represent Delta South Senatorial District is already producing tangible results, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of the bill establishing the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Oleh.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News Night on Saturday, Akpotu described the establishment of the Federal Medical Centre as a historic milestone that ends decades of perceived federal neglect of the Isoko people while reaffirming the importance of effective representation at the National Assembly.
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According to him, the signing of the bill into law is a clear indication that the Isoko Nation’s resolve to secure quality leadership in the Senate has begun to yield meaningful developmental dividends.
“Our resolve to send Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas to the Senate is paying off. Today, history has been been made because, for the first time, the Isoko Nation has secured a major federal institution that reflects our place in the Nigerian federation,” Akpotu stated.
The IDU President expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for assenting to the bill, describing the move as one that has restored hope and renewed confidence among the Isoko people in the Federal Government.
He also commended the National Assembly for passing the legislation and praised Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas for sponsoring the bill and ensuring its successful passage.
Akpotu noted that the establishment of the Federal Medical Centre, Oleh, gives the Isoko Nation a stronger sense of belonging after decades of making enormous contributions to Nigeria’s economy through crude oil and natural gas production without enjoying corresponding federal infrastructure and investments.
He lamented that despite Isoko’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the region had long remained underserved in terms of federal projects and critical government institutions.
“For years, whenever we spoke about the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we had little practical evidence to show that Isoko was truly part of the federation regarding federal infrastructure. Today, that narrative has changed,” he said.
Highlighting the region’s economic significance, Akpotu said communities such as Irri and Uzere possess vast gas reserves, while several Isoko communities contribute substantially to Nigeria’s onshore and offshore crude oil production.
He argued that these contributions deserved greater federal recognition and equitable development.
The IDU President also reflected on the political history of Isoko representation in the Senate, recalling that the late Senator Francis Spanner Okpozo’s tenure was interrupted by military rule, while former Senator Stella Omu served only one term.
He added that for nearly two decades afterwards, another ethnic group occupied the Delta South Senate seat, limiting Isoko’s ability to aggressively pursue its developmental agenda at the federal level.
According to Akpotu, this reality strengthened the determination of the Isoko people to produce a senator committed to advancing their collective interests through strategic legislative engagement.
“We deliberately worked to ensure that an Isoko son emerged as senator because we understood that strategic decisions are taken at strategic levels.
Today, Senator Joel-Onowakpo has justified that confidence through quality representation and landmark achievements that history will remember,” he added.
He described Senator Joel-Onowakpo’s performance in the Senate as outstanding, saying his achievements have surpassed previous records and demonstrated a deep commitment to the development and welfare of the Isoko Nation.
Akpotu further expressed optimism that the Federal Medical Centre, Oleh, would open the door to greater federal presence across Isoko land, describing the development as a transformative breakthrough comparable to the biblical fall of the walls of Jericho.
“This is the breakthrough we have been waiting for. The walls of exclusion have fallen, and the Isoko people have entered a new era of recognition, inclusion and development,” he said.
While celebrating the historic approval of the FMC, Akpotu appealed to President Tinubu to consolidate the gains by appointing qualified Isoko sons and daughters into ambassadorial positions, ministerial offices, and leadership roles in federal agencies.
He maintained that although the establishment of the Federal Medical Centre, Oleh, represents a major turning point in the history of the Isoko Nation, sustained federal inclusion through strategic appointments and infrastructure development remains essential to correcting decades of imbalance and ensuring the people enjoy the full dividends of democracy.
