By Grade-One Clark
As I scrolled through the day’s news reports on Google, I came upon a screaming headline, one of such many pranks that Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa springs on innocent Nigerians from time to time, which they gullibly swallow. It announced the outgoing governor of being a recent recipient of a United Nation’s Award for prudent management of state finances. I didn’t bother going through the lead, I skipped the story. It wasn’t worth it. Okowa has at every turn manipulated the state with deceit and propaganda. And he does get away with it. He must have paid some crooks in the Agency to manufacture something to prop his sagging image.
I had visited the South East recently. All the people I met spoke glowingly of the governor, they said wonderful things – like how he has transformed Delta. Which is a big boloney, I often interject to tell them it is a wrong perception of Okowa. He has through the media spread deceit everywhere, as a high performing governor. Our constitution empowers governors to take their people for granted. They are the lords of the manor, no one can restrain them from their intentions, no matter how dubious. That is how hamstrung our governors have become. They are the bane of the peoples existence.
In Delta, Okowa has not only saddled the people with the burden of a humongous pension after impoverishing them for eight gruelling years, but has made a last minute manuveur to get N71 Billion parting lottery bonus, through a fresh supplementary budget. Without scruples, he hung the burden of his upkeep in his declining years on the lean necks of the state poor.
Deltans can’t wait to see the Owa Alero mediocre leave Osadebe House come 29th May. How can Okowa on the eve of his departure, with a straight face request the approval of the State House of Assembly for a supplementary budget of N71 Billion to spend in less than seven working days to his exit? Well, the approved budget will automatically translate to loans from his friendly bankers. Only God knows what he intends doing with the huge amount.
Even the State Assembly Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori, whom Okowa had through abracadabra transmutted into governor – elect couldn’t find the courage to put up appearance on the floor of the house to endorse his master’s last minute yahoo. He too must have been shocked by the man’s perfidy. Sheriff abdicated the legislative chamber for his deputy to presided and approve the heist. This brings the debt burden of Delta State to a gigantic N921 Billion. Now, I can confirm why people say Okowa has no soul. The devil took it when he became governor.
A fellow from Plateau State was recently on a TVC television political programme. When the anchor asked him the reason the opposition defeated Gov. Simon Lalong. His response impressed me. He said it was for the mismanagement of state resources and debts of N120 Billion the governor accumulated. But that is chicken feed compared to what Okowa piled up for Deltans. It would take Delta generations to come out of the debt hole the governor dumped the state. When Okowa becomes a nanogenarian, children learning to walk today would have become tax paying adults to shoulder his pension, and as well offset the loans he took.
The rumours emanating from government house on the supplementary budget are not quite clear. Though some say the money will be used to continue work on projects, others say, it is to serve as buffer for fallouts from the Elections Petition Tribunal. The Delta State APC Publicity Secretary, Barr. Valentine Onojeghuo could not shy away from the obvious in his press release. Apart from saying Okowa’s request is borne out of wickedness, he also accused the governor of wanting to use the money to compromise the judiciary, and as well keep part as his last parting gift.
Since INEC declared Sheriff Oborevwori the winner of the 18th March 2023 governorship election, Okowa’s lackeys and sonorous praise singers have been very quiet until recently. The tense atmosphere in the state didn’t encourage vapid platitudes nor celebrations. The reason being the glaring electoral theft pulled off by Okowa for Sheriff. The masses have become very fed up with the governor’s kleptocratic style and everyday malfeasances.
Deltans voted against Okowa’s vice presidential bid, they also never wanted to touch his humble stooge, Sheriff Oborevwori, even with a ten foot pole. Senator Ovie Omo Agege was the candidate they all trouped out on election day to give their consent. But Okowa in cahoot with INEC field officers sabotaged the peoples will.
The wheel of justice grinds slowly but it does come to a head. Sen. Omo Agege, a lawyer, has implicit confidence in the court. He is not one to stir up riots and lawlessness. If Okowa’s intention is to use the N71 Billion to compromise the judiciary, he has shot himself in the foot. He might just as well request an additional N100 billion, but it won’t buy him the verdict he anticipates. The facts of Omo Agege’s petition are sacrosanct, they can’t be circumvented.
Grade – one Clark
Public Affairs Analyst
Asaba
20/5/2023