Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, has declared his intention to bring fresh ideas and innovative approaches to governance in the National Assembly, breaking away from the traditional paths followed by his predecessors.
Speaking at his residence in Sapele during a courtesy visit from the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) executives of the Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) Warri Chapel, the senator highlighted how his private sector experience and broad exposure influence his unique style of representation.
“I don’t believe I should enter the Senate and simply repeat what others have done before me. With my different background and experiences, I want to offer something new, rather than just imitate those who came before. Otherwise, I might as well have let them continue,” Dafinone stated.
The Okpe-born Chartered Accountant, who resigned from the Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank board to pursue his 2023 Senate seat, acknowledged the accomplishments of his predecessor, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, former Deputy President of the 9th Senate.
While Senator Omo-Agege succeeded in attracting substantial federal funding to establish institutions in Delta State, Dafinone said his focus as a first-time senator centers on human capital development — through skills training, job creation, promotions, and facilitating access to contracts for his constituents.
He revealed a comprehensive needs assessment across the eight local government areas of Delta Central has identified over 700 potential projects. His target is to realize 60 to 70 of these projects in each budget cycle, with a special priority on improving electricity access by providing transformers and solar-powered streetlights.
“We make sure projects are distributed across all eight LGAs, avoiding concentration in just one area. In the first year, we laid the groundwork. The second year focused on areas that had less benefited and where we secured significant votes. By the third year, we will continue maintaining this balanced allocation,” he explained.
Dafinone also stressed the importance of accessibility in his leadership style, contrasting it with many politicians who limit interactions with constituents to avoid being overwhelmed by requests.
“I view every request as an opportunity to assist. Whether the issues are local, state, or federal, my office remains open. Since our people haven’t been receiving their fair share of federal contracts and appointments, my role includes lobbying and guiding them on how to engage effectively in Abuja,” he affirmed.
Recognizing the crucial role of the media, Senator Dafinone pledged to support DBS Warri by providing solar-powered lighting to enhance security at its premises and a modern film editing suite to improve news production, responding to the requests by the NUJ DBS Warri Chapel executives led by Secretary Comrade Ogheneruona Oyibo.
Comrade Oyibo noted that the lighting would address security challenges at the station, while the editing suite would boost the quality of reportage and film production.
