… Accuses OkowaOf Financial Recklessness
Delta State chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Amb. Hon.
OkeIdawene has noted that there was nothing to celebrate about the 25
years of the state since 1991 till date, “the Delta State at 25,
celebrations been carried out by Governor Okowa is a deception of the
reality on ground”.
“Are we celebrating a state whose governor is renovating the
completion of the Interbua Roundabout with the sum of N250 million
contract given to a man who is an amateur, a man who is renting
equipment from people to work? He said the ongoing work at the
roundabout was shoddy.
“Are we celebrating a state whose governor is spending corporative
money of civil servants? It is evil of Okowa to do that. Are we
celebrating in a state whose governor does not pay salaries regularly
and he owing pensioners who served the state?
“Are we celebrating in a state whose governor renovated a new
Government House which Uduaghan just built with N1.2 million? The
Senator (Dr) IfeanyiOkowa-led administration in Delta State has
awarded the completion of Interbua Roundabout with the whooping sum of
N250 million”.
The contract was awarded to an Agbor indigene who has no construction
company but does his contract with hired equipment.
On the contract limit policy by the state government, Amb. Idawene
recall that former governors James OnanefeIbori and Emmanuel
EwetaUduaghan religiously followed the N50 million contract limit,
“any project that is N50 million and above is usually taken to state
EXCO meeting for formal approval but Okowa came and selfishly
increased it to N250 million and above”, he pointed out.
According to him, “how many projects in Delta State are above N250
million”, he asked.
The SDP chairman lamented that Okowa has turned commissioners and
political appointees to mere robber stamps, “for the first time in the
history of our great state, Commissioners and political appointees are
mere errands EXCOS”, and what he described as “sit down look team”, as
Okowa has unilaterally awarded contracts.
“DESOPADEC funds has been constantly diverted to pay his political
appointees he has lost count of and other personal use”, bemoaning
that Okowa’s convoy was longer than that of the President Mohammadu
Buhari.
He said civil servants in the state are in pitiable conditions while
states like Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Cross River State have fared far
better.
“We make bold to say that we shall use legal means to seek redress to
ensure Deltans get transparent and good governance. Enough of the
closed door and closed hearts style of government in Delta State. He
must account for every kobo he has received since he assumed office”.
“We regret and apologize to Deltans for been part of the synergy that
brought him to power”, calling on Deltans to reject Okowa, “Anioma,
give us another true son or daughter to present to Deltans come 2019.
Okowa is insensitive, clueless and above all, lazy. Governor Okowa has
performed far below Deltans expectations thus nothing to celebrate”.
He accused Okowa of receiving over N240 billion since assumption of
office ranging from Federal allocation, Internally Generated Revenue
and loans, ecological funds with nothing on ground to show.
“In this hard times, this is a man who went on birthday spree for one
month in the United States for a month with over 30 people that
followed him with tax payers’ money. The IGR, he is been lazy about
it, he cannot even harness it. We don’t need loans, we don’t need
federal allocation if the state is been run by a man who is strong and
mentally sound enough to run Delta State, we are going to have the
state as the apex”, adding, we are angry, SDP is leading the chat.
Deltans reject Okowa now”.
On the state secretariat named after late Senator Felix Ibru, the
first executive governor of the state, the Isoko born politician said,
“The truth is that the Urhobos must open their eyes.
Okowa has an inbuilt hatred for the Urhobos. You can imagine that the
burial of Ibru was not given the normal publicity that it was supposed
to be given. The burial arrangement was very shoddy. If it was an Ika
man that died, I knew what Okowa would have done. He is not what we
thought he is. He is a wolf in sheep skin. The honour that was
supposed to be given to him, is to name the Delta State University
after Felix Ibru because even what he did for one year plus is more
than what Okowa will do for eight years if you give him the chance but
he is not going to get eight years. The four years is a mistake and an
aberration that we must correct in 2019”.
The views of the so called Delta State Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), ‘Amb/ Hon’ OkeIdawene are noted but they are very far from the truth. This is certainly a very unhealthy approach to opposition because it will be very difficult to sustain the many lies as this is a twisty representation of state of affairs in Delta State. Mr. OkeIdawene should seek a credible manner to discuss politics instead of using falsehoods to discredit Governor Okowa.
Certainly, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa is not flawless but if the truth be told, given the poor financial and huge neglect situation he met the Delta State, one would be right to say that on the basis of proper comparative analysis based on revenue, expenditure and utilization of resources for development, this Gov, Okowa’s fifteen months in office has brought in a fresh hope of good governance of Delta State. The many lies of SDP chairman should not surprise anyone because that is the way weak opposition parties operate to gain undue relevance.
I totally disagree with the remarks of this politician. Indeed, if not for Governor Okowa’s prudence, no major project will be on going in Delta State and payment of salaries will not be up to date less that of LGAs, a liability Okowa inherited from Ex Governor Uduaghan. On payment of few outstanding months for pensioners, even those that have not been paid very well understand the major problem associated with such as the verification process is almost completed and their payment will be made hopefully this month of August, 2016. Okowa may not have met all the expectations of Deltans but he stands out as one well intended leader and selfless politician that is interested in giving Delta State even spread in terms of development.
Freedom of speech is very good but when people use such liberty to mislead the public, it could be more destructive to the society than even the contents of the negative propaganda they promote. Any objective observer that has visited Delta State in the past six months would be very impressed on how the Okowa led administration is rejuvenating dead projects and even engaging in fresh construction works despite the huge revenue drop. In reality, all that Hon. OkeIdawene has advanced in this report are a bunch of fabrications in a bid to unjustly pull down the Ifeanyi Okowa administration in the eyes of the public.
Please let nobody blame Dr. Okowa for what this politician called shoddy burial arrangement of Ex Governor Felix Ibru. The Delta government had a proper Burial Committee that was charged with the responsibility of organizing the burial activities and I believe that Governor Okowa would have acted based on their recommendations because no member of that Committee has complained that their demands were not met. Amb. Idawene should please get a candid opinion from those involved before going to the press to state half truths
This is just about the worrisome ethnic politics in Delta State. This man that is condemning the Government of Dr. Okowa for awarding a contract for 250 million should have even stated his own estimate of the project or any perceived misconduct in the costing of the said project. His analysis is considered baseless especially given the truth that the said place he referred to as ‘Interbua Roundabout’ is a failed project which the Uduaghan administration initiated at the ‘centre’ of the Delta State capital city of Asaba. If the truth be told, the said site has been an eyesore and major disgrace to all Deltans that believe in having a functional capital. Whether or not Governor Okowa awarded the contract to someone Hon. OkeIdawene termed inexperienced, the reality on ground is that the project is almost completed with no sign that the work done was conducted by an incompetent contractor of Agbor extract. On ‘Interbua Roundabout’ completion, Okowa deserves praise please.
This is politics at a very disgusting opposition level. This new Governor of Delta Stae has just spent one year out of the twenty five years of Delta state creation. Why should any reasonable person blame the Governor for all the short comings of the past twenty four years. Hon. OkeIdawene is least objective on his condemnation of the Okowa government and he has clearly shown his deficiency in the history of Delta state especially on the performance of those that were governors before the arrival of Dr. A. I Okowa.
That Delta State Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Amb. Hon. OkeIdawene could not mobilize voters to win a ward in any local government council in the entire Delta state clearly shows his political capacity. I think such a party chairman has misplaced his priority in politics. If I were him, I would focus on building capacity for the opposition party instead of advising a section of the state he termed as Anioma to bring another of their daughter or son to replace Dr. Okowa as Governor. Is this really how to run a political opposition party?
I think Amb. Idawene is just running propaganda to diminish Governor Okowa. In any case, that is Nigeria’s self styled democracy where lies can be taken as truth and facts portrayed as falsehood It is just unfortunate that some gullible persons may be caught in Amb. Oke-Idawene’s web of deceits.
Amb. Okeldawene should rethink his style of politics, if he does not have good ideas on how to democratically remove an elected governor, he should resign as SDP party Chairman and allow credible persons to mobilize the electorate to remove Okowa come 2019. As much as every good democratic setting deserves a strong opposition to the ruling party, Amb
Okeldawene is not apt for such a task. Governor Okowa is doing well for Deltans and he can do much more with objective criticisms.
According to Delta State chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Amb. Hon. Okeldawene “We don’t need loans, we don’t need federal allocation if the state is been run by a man who is strong and mentally sound enough to run Delta State”. With this remark, my only question for readers is whether such comments can come from a man that is mentally stable?
For 2019 election, this media outburst is very irrelevant and untimely. This politician should allow Okowa to work before fighting to take over. Let the choice of who governs Delta State be left for Deltans to determine.
Na wa oooh! Can any State in Nigeria in the present circumstances survive without Federal Allocation except Lagos State? If Delta Governor decides to introduce new taxes on its citizens and residents, it would be a burden too difficult for the electorate. For sure, the consequences would be very negative and Dr. Okowa would emerge as an unpopular governor because already, most people do not have enough money to put food on their tables. This is simple truth! Let no politician go there PLEASE!
I am very disappointed that a man that ought to be a very knowledgeable politician would engage in issues that are largely unfounded and very petty like making generalization about a governor’s dislike for a particular ethnic group without any meaningful reference. Hear him “Okowa has an inbuilt hatred for the c”. This is absurd because if the truth be told, Okowa has in every way possible demonstrated his loyalty to a former Governor, an Urhobo indigene that supported his governorship aspiration against Ex Governor Uduaghan’s reluctance. The Urhobos are well represented in this present administration of Delta State it is well known fact that Ex. Gov James Ibori has much influence on the Okowa led government.
How does the nature if State burial given to Ex Governor Felix Ibru suggest that Governor Okowa dislikes Urhobos? The real story on some few persons’ dissatisfaction with the Late Felix Ibru’s burial arrangement is that they wanted to make so much money in pretence that they were representing or acting on behalf of the Ibru family whereas, their mission was greed motivated. I hope this Political patty Chairman was not involved in that failed 419 because the may even be reason for his anger. For me, I think the government did what was apt and the State Governor visited the family. May the soul of Felix Ibru rest in peace and in the bosom of the Lord.
Amb. Idawene if truly you were a credible politician, you would not be seeking for the removal of the Delta State Governor, Dr. Okowa only on the pages of the newspapers based on accusations that are even too difficult for you to substantiate. My advice to you is to put on a thinking cap for developing concepts on how to ensure that Dr. Okowa is not re-elected based what can be regarded as truth not just on falsehoods that you are dwelling on because so many Deltans see Dr. Okowa’s government as a leadership that has redeemed their hope for a better Delta.
Mr. Ambassador, please let us have your breakdown on how the Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration of Delta State has collected 240 billion naira since assumption of office, May 29th last year. I guess arithmetic was not your choice subject in primary school. Otherwise, you would have done well in your calculation. Please ask someone to help you out on this because Delta State government has not even collected half of your bogus estimation in the said period.
It is certain that this SDP politician has limited information on the drastically reduced Delta State’s revenue from oil production as a result of insurgency and fall in global oil price. Otherwise, he will not be talking of DESOPADEC’s money being used to pay political appointees of Governor Okowa. In this period of very limited revenue from oil, as long as DESOPADEC’s earnings are based on what the State collects from the Federal government as oil derivation, there is no way it can function effectively. So, it is not about anyone taking DESOPADEC’s money but on the reality of dwindled revenue. In the real sense, the average political appointee in Delta State earns about 200k per month with no other form of attached allowance, a salary which is realistically unattractive, so the money paid to appointees cannot be what has caused DESOPADEC’s funding challenges. Please let us focus on things we have facts on.
Money wahala! E go beta! Let’s pray the ‘Avengers’ would soon stop their trouble and DESOPADEC revenue will improve. No point tearing anybody’s shirt on this because the root of the problem is very clear.
The Delta State revenue is certainly far less than stated because IGR has also gone so low as the oil companies are not paying much given that most of them have shut down operations. Also, let us not forget that the Previous governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan left the State in massive debt which the Okowa administration is servicing. I think the major problem here is communication. Okowa is doing well with little resources he receives but the public deserves more information on his struggles with finances, otherwise, his government would continue getting the knocks on the assumption that there is so much money. This is a clear task for his information managers.