Ahead of 2019 general elections, Deltans have vowed not to return Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for a second tenure. In this report, our Delta state Chief Correspondent, RICHARD EGODIBIE, takes a look at series of factors that will work against Okowa’s second coming.
Following what they described as “monumental failure, deception and corruption”, Deltans have rose against the second tenure of the incumbent governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa, saying the governor has not done anything that would earn him the people’s votes come 2019 general elections.
Richard Nixon once wrote that “In politics and statecraft, power means life or death, prosperity or poverty, happiness or tragedy for millions of people” and the Bible in the book of Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked are on the throne, the people mourn.”
And this has been the case of the oil rich Delta State since the inception of the incumbent governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa, where millions of Deltans are said to have been inflicted with hardship, poverty, tragedy, suffering and mourning due to bad governance as the wicked mounted the throne of Delta.
Okowa, in his inaugural speech, on May 29, 2015, outlined a five-point agenda encapsulated in the acronym ‘SMART’ with a promise of “prosperity for all Deltans” which till date Deltans are yet to feel the impact.
“In the days, months, and years ahead, we should be ready to make hard choices and take tough decisions that are imperative for the prosperity and welfare of our people. More than ever before, the need to diversify our economy and reduce undue dependence on the proceeds from oil has become quite urgent, and this is one agenda that this administration shall give great attention to.
“We must keep faith in ourselves, trusting our God for a greater tomorrow. We must stay the course of our vision and agenda. We must be prepared to run the affairs of government differently, paying more attention to the voice of our people, and consolidating the gains where we have made progress. We will not shy away from admitting the mistakes of the past, and we will create opportunities for our people to participate and partner with the government,” Okowa said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, on the second tenure of Okowa, a former commissioner in the past administration of ex-Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan simply said, “After all the sweet and sugar coated political promises by Governor Okowa, little did Deltans know that they were in for one-chance vehicle, a situation where all lucrative positions are occupied by the governor’s kinsmen and cronies while juicy contracts are awarded to the governor’s relations, brothers and kinsmen.”
No doubt there are many obvious factors that would work against the chances of Okowa’s second tenure and among such factors are the governor’s vehement refusal to offset the over 14-month salaries being owed local government councils’ workers across the state, the several months salaries and arrears being owed primary school teachers in the state, the sacking of over 2,000 civil servants by at the inception of his tenure as well as political vendetta and witch-hunting being carried out by the governor against his perceived political enemies.
It would be recalled that the council workers under the umbrella of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) had last month embarked on mass protest against the state governor over his refusal to offset their over 14-month salaries. Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) contractors being owed over N1billion also embarked on a mass protest against the state governor over his refusal to pay them their money.
A lecturer at the Delta State University, Abraka, who pleaded anonymity, said “If Deltans must to be sincere to themselves in all ramifications without sentimental attachment, Governor Okowa does not in any way deserve the precious votes of the people for a second term. Talking about his administration’s five-point agenda, in what way has it truly affected the lives of the people.
“For over two and half years now the state owned three media houses, DBS Warri and Asaba and The Pointer newspapers, are nothing to write home about. They are all in a state of comatose, projects are nothing but mere cosmetics and media propaganda. Those who seek power must do so with a sense of mission. They should so much believe in their mission and their ability to change the course of history to the point that nothing, not personal gain, not even their own personal survival, matters to them.
“Those who seek power without a sense of purpose and dedication to service, but for personal gains, will, at the very best, be dangerous leaders and Governor Okowa is one of such dangerous and failed leader. Okowa thinks promises are to be broken rather than to be kept. For once, Okowa thinks powers are meant for themselves, cronies and families rather than to carry the people along in scheme of things. Okowa has aggressively failed the electorate with his empty promises without any remorse,” he said.
Cross-section of Deltans interviewed, said in two and half years, Governor Okowa has not been able to do anything for Deltans, adding that the state is so rich in human and natural resources, and yet subdued in the hands of a rampaging bad, self-centered and corrupt government, using poverty as weapon of psychological torture to inflict hardship and poverty on the people.
Recently, a coalition of registered political parties took a swipe at Okowa, saying his administration is nothing but deceptive and fraudulent, that has succeeded in spreading misery and hunger contrary to the prosperity agenda used to con Deltans during his electioneering campaigns.
Rising from an enlarged meeting of chairmen of political parties held in Asaba, the coalition accused Okowa of running the affairs of the state like a personal estate as well as awarding juicy contracts to himself, family members and cronies without any atom of remorse.
In a communique issued at the end of its meeting, signed by the state chairman of the coalition, Mr. Efe Tobor, Prince Jude Eze, Secretary, Mr. Emeka Bidokwu, Publicity Secretary and Mr. Fred Akpewe, official, a copy of which was obtained by the Nigeria Witness, lamented that the two years down the line have left Deltans disappointed following the way and manner Okowa is piloting the affairs of the state, reiterating that Okowa’s government is nothing but a complete sham.
“The so-called ‘SMART agenda’ has turned out to be a dumb agenda, and the promised prosperity is nowhere to be found. Clearly, Delta State has once again been taken for a ride as there is no strategic plan or actions to move the state forward. The 2017 budget of Delta State is a document of deceit, because the receipts, expenditures and balances of Delta State account are shrouded in such extreme secrecy that it has made Okowa administration to stand out as the ‘most unaccountable’ in the history of the state.
“Worse still, he has succeeded in taking over the roles and responsibilities of Delta State House of Assembly and his Commissioners, as he awards nearly all contracts by himself from Government House, and gets the Delta State Tenders Board to rubber-stamp them. With vast arable land, Okowa is unable to utilize the enormous amount of money so far received by his administration to create an enabling environment for enterprises to thrive in the state.”
According to the coalition of political parties, Deltans have become so impoverished and are crying out loud that the social contract between the government and the people is totally misplaced, asserting that Okowa’s government is the most ethnically-biased government considering the dominance of his kinsmen in his government.
The coalition, while saying less-endowed states like Anambra, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Jigawa and Cross-River have developed an economic model geared towards putting their people to work and achieving self-sufficiency in food production, and for export, Okowa has nothing in the offing.
The group noted that “On May 29, 2015, Deltans were excited and sincerely looked forward to a new phase of life that will be distant from the stagnation and hopelessness of the past PDP administration as was encapsulated in a “SMART Agenda. But reverse is the case. Instead of the prosperity for all Deltans which Okowa promised the people, it’s now misery and hunger for all Deltans.”
In the same vein, a chieftain and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Isoko Federal Constituency, Paul Olotu Eriri, has disclosed that Okowa would end up being the worst governor Delta State has ever produced.
Eriri, who made this disclosure in an interview with the Nigeria Witness, while assessing the two-year administration of Okowa, noted emphatically that “The two-year administration and SMART agenda of Delta State governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa is deceptive, fraudulent, disaster and a monumental failure.”
He added that in spite of all the federal allocations, bailout and Paris Club refunds, nothing on ground to show for the huge amounts.
According to the renowned economist, Okowa has killed and buried the Delta State Oil Producing and Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
“I can tell you right away that Okowa deliberately killed and buried DESOPADEC. The problem we have here is that, Okowa, since he came to power has never provided funds for the running of the commission. That is why no project is going on anywhere in the oil producing communities because Okowa has starved the whole commission of funds. There is a monthly allocation from Federal, the 13 percent derivation is not given to the commission.
“Where is the money? Okowa should tell the state where the money is. The oil producing communities have been destroyed, there is nothing happening in those places. I am holding the governor responsible even for the 13-month non-payment of salaries to local government workers, with all the Paris Club refund money. So, I hold Okowa responsible. I have never seen anything like this in my entire life, and I said it and I am repeating myself, Okowa remains the worst governor Delta has ever produced.”
Deltans have also condemned a recent endorsement of Okowa for second term by former governor of Delta State, Mr. James Ibori, during a reception for Ibori by the Delta Central chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at his private Western Delta University, Oghara, Ethiope West local government area, of the state.
The endorsement, which attracted mixed reactions and condemnation from Deltans, the political class warned Ibori to concentrate more on how to clear himself of the ex-convict stigma and his 170-count charges of money laundering and corruption still hanging on his neck, rather than coming to impose on Deltans again “unpopular, corrupt, failed and non-performing person like Okowa”.
Reacting to what was described as “Ibori outburst”, chieftain and leader of PDP in the state, Paul Eriri, described the outburst of the ex-convicted former governor as an embarrassment to all patriotic Deltans and warned him to be wary of such reckless statement.
“The so called endorsement of Dr. Okowa by Chief James Ibori for second term is a political embarrassment to all patriotic Deltans. As a fresh ex-prisoner, Chief Ibori ought to have a good rest, and study the situation before making such reckless, sad and disappointing statement. No intelligent Deltans will ever endorse Dr. Okowa for second term. He remains the worst governor in human history and a political corpse.”
Reacting in the same vein, Delta State 2015 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Olorgun O’tega Emerhor, said it was not a surprise because Ibori as leader of PDP in the state is expected to promote the interest of PDP and Okowa. He said the endorsement has shown that Ibori shares no sympathy with APC in the state and at the Federal level.
“We in APC Delta have anticipated this and are more than prepared to meet him, Okowa and PDP at the 2019 elections to determine who now own the land,” Emerhor stated.
Reacting too, former state chairman, Labour Party (LP), Comrade Emeka Nkwoala, said “The former governor is entitled to his opinion on his political son, Okowa. We are waiting for them, because any endorsement from an ex-convict will be counter-productive. We are repositioning our party LP to play a virile opposition to the ruling party in the state and across the country.”
Also, a House of Representatives member and PDP chieftain, who does not want his name mentioned, said fielding Okowa for second term is suicidal and monumental disaster. He said Ibori should go and sort out himself on his pending 170-count charge of money laundering and corruption.
“Gone are those days (when) Ibori was using snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes to rig elections. Deltans are so wise and refined more than ever. Okowa is a failure, disappointment, corrupt and fraudulent using his National Anthem of ‘Ego-Aria’ no money no money to loot the treasury.
“Ibori is only a leader in his Oghara and his endorsement does not count. Deltans are ready to take their destiny in their own hands. What Okowa does now is inflation of contracts and using cronies and fronts to executive juicy contracts and the proceeds he intends to bribe his way in 2019.
“Ibori must wake up fast from his slumber and know that he has just one vote. Ibori is busy holding secret meetings boasting, should President Muhammadu Buhari declined him a state pardon, he shall work against his second term bid and install someone that will grant him the state pardon,” the Federal lawmaker alleged.
Also adding his voice, former governorship candidate on the platform of Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and Labour Party (LP) in Delta State and now an APC chieftain, Chief Great Igboru, simply said “Ibori has one vote.”
On his part, an APC chieftain in Delta State, Chief Joe Arausi, said “That is his fundamental right. But too early to start endorsement of 2019. Only time shall tell. It is a PDP affairs.”
On his part, a Warri-based human rights lawyer and Executive Director, Centre for the vulnerable and the underprivileged (Centrep), Mr. Oghenejabo Ikimi, likened Ibori’s outburst to imposition, lack of internal democracy and impunity tearing the PDP apart.
“Chief Ibori has a right to endorse Governor Okowa. I think Chief Ibori is living in the past as the theory of endorsing candidates for second term by their godfathers is outdated and has no place in our present day political space. Chief lbori like every other Deltan has one vote and the era of vote buying, ballot stuffing and ballot snatching is becoming outdated.
“It is undemocratic to impose candidates on the people and that was the biggest undoing of PDP before and during the 2015 election which is the present crisis rocking the party now. PDP is yet to learn their lessons. For 2019, Deltans would elect their governor irrespective of Chief Ibori’s directive to his political family who are less than two per cent of the voting population. I call on Deltans to ignore the directives and vote for candidates of their choice as governor.”
Other respondents condemned Ibori’s statement and admonished the convicted former governor against making unpopular, careless and selfish statement, adding that ‘over their dead body’ would Okowa come back for second term when there are more popular and credible persons in Delta North who could complete the second tenure of the Senatorial District come 2019.
“Ighoyota Amori, who could not secure the senatorial mandate he stole, is misleading Ibori into a pit. Ibori must apologise to all Deltans for that stupid and blind endorsement of Okowa whom he knows is a non-performing and worst governor in the state since creation in development and corruption. I am also glad to hear that Chief James Ibori’s endorsement was condemned by Deltans,” a government official said.
However, in his reaction, Governor Okowa’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Charles Aniagwu, simply said the prosperity train of the Okowa-led administration is on course.
“We are not disturbed about 2019 or anything else but the performance of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. We believe that the people of Delta State will view our performance, particularly at a time we are going through a recessed economy and then judge us based on that performance. We are committed to delivering on our promises as contained in our SMART agenda and prosperity to all mantra of carrying everybody along.”
“Our Town Hall meeting is for us to interface with the people. We are taking the power back to the people in line with the policy of the PDP’s ‘power to the people’, because we believe that the power belongs to the people and the way to be transparent is to do it through the Town Hall meetings where everybody is free to speak and tell us what they feel. And we also know what they are going through directly and they also know what we are going through and the steps we are taking to address issues that affect them directly.”