By Austin Ogwuda
Audacious Senior Media Analyst, Fred Akpewe has lamented why the incumbent Governor of Delta State, RT Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is allegedly ‘caged’ and cannot take an independent decision unless he seeks the permission and clearance from the immediate past governor of the State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, his political godfather.
Akpewe in a recent write up titled ‘Delta Gov Oborevwori: A Figurehead, Okowa Is The One Pulling The Strings’ explained that “in his bid to have no challenger and no rival, Okowa manouevered James Ibori out of his former rated status as the general leader of PDP in Delta.
Today, Okowa is literally the owner of the jungle”.
Akpewe went on to explain that “Trouble started for the Party, when in 2022 Senator, Dr Ifeanyi decided he must produce his successor single handed, irrespective of the input of major stakeholders including his once political mentor and Godfathe, Chief James Ibori who preferred a much more grounded aspirant, Olorogun David Edevbie.
“As it turned out to be, the PDP governorship primary was a travesty, a grand circus show organized and implemented by one man – Dr Ifeanyi Okowa. His motives were suspect as he bothered more about an aspirant that would be fiercely loyal than about competence. Some political analysts believed that Okowa wanted a weak protege that would run his third term for him. No wonder that the choice of Oborevwori was fiercely opposed and resisted, leading to about 38 court cases that made the litigation experience of Dr Uduaghan a child’s play.
“No one dared challenge Dr Okowa at the time because he was brutal, deft, manipulative and adept at Political brinkmanship.
“One early warning that Dr Okowa was going to thoroughly teleguide the Oborevwori administration and ultimately stifle its independence was the midnight appointment and hurried inauguration of DESOPADEC management at the twilight of Okowa’s administration, In fact few hours to his exit as Governor.
“Immediately Oborevwori was sworn in, Deltans began to see the hands of Dr Okowa in every key appointment of the new administration. As a matter of course appointment seekers thronged the residence of Dr Okowa to seek his validation before they could get an appointment.
“The Vice Presidential bid of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa was allegedly so expensive that it threw the economy of Delta state into tatters. Atiku Abubakar was believed to have chosen Ifeanyi Okowa as his vice -presidential candidate over a more popular and powerful Nyesom Wike because of Okowa’s readiness to bankroll the 2023 Presidential election.
“Progressive Deltans at the time cried foul as Dr Okowa allegedly took state loan after loan to finance the election with the ready assistance and acquiescence of Oborevwori who was the Speaker of the Delta state House of Assembly at the time. There is another conspiracy theory that Dr Okowa chose Rt Hon Oborevwori as his successor to cover his financial deals, especially at the twilight of his administration.
“Today as Governor, Oborevwori is suffering the consequences of his indiscretions. He is not in charge. Dr Okowa remains the Governor by proxy. The ward, local government and state PDP congresses were firmly in the grip of Dr Okowa. Major Political stakeholders had no say as many of them could not even produce their ward chairman.
“The 2024 local government elections followed the same pattern, with Okowa being the holder of the knife and the cutlass in virtually every local government. Oborevwori had no choice than to watch helplessly as the entire political structure of Delta North was sequestered and dominated by Dr Ifeanyi Okowa alone to the chagrin of major political stakeholders.
“It was this penchant for sole power proprietorship by Okowa”, he went on “that made PDP to lose both Delta Central and Delta south to APC Senators. Okowa cared more about loyalty than competence and he masterminded the emergence of candidates who were Political misfits provided they satisfied his loyalty criteria.
“So it is that Deltans are stuck with a Governor who cannot take an independent decision unless he seeks the permission and gets the nod of his oga. We sympathize with Governor Oborevwori as he labours against his inner will to hurriedly pay off the debts he inherited from his immediate predecessor. One of Oborevwori,s media Aides recently shocked the world when he gleefully announced that the Oborevwori administration as at March 2024 had paid about N130 billion naira out of the humongous debts he inherited from his predecessor.
He concluded by saying that “Ibori left Uduaghan to govern, Uduaghan left Okowa to govern. Let Okowa do likewise to Oborevwori. By appearing in every government activities, every burial ceremony, every child naming ceremony and all political gatherings, the impression is being inadvertently created that we have two governors in Delta state running concurrent tenures.
“We call on Governor Okowa to give Oborevwori a breather. We know he has 2027 Senatorial ambition or as some people say even presidential ambition . But let him listen to the recent advice of President Biden to world leaders at UNGA and I paraphrase “Something is more important than staying in power; it’s the people” President Biden sacrificed his second term so that the younger generation can move the Nation forward .
“Okowa has been a local government Chairman, Commissioner in Several ministries, SSG, Senator, Governor for 8 years, a Vice- Presidential candidate. What else is Okowa looking for? He has succeeded in making her daughter a member of the Delta State House of Assembly and Chairman appropriation committee. Let the ambition of one man not destroy the development of Deltan State.
“The time has come for Okowa to step aside so that Delta state can be governed by people who consider development a higher virtue than raw unbridled craving for temporal power.
That is what Oborevwori is trying to do but the hands of Okowa stands on his way to making progress”, Akpewe added.
…. Latimore counters
However, the Director General of Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq, has said that the cordial relationship between the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and the immediate past governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON, is normal, ideal and shall be sustained throughout the lifespan of this administration and beyond.
He made the assertion on Sunday in a phone-in live interview with a popular radio network News, saying that the exclusive and personalized leadership style adopted by governor Oborevwori since he assumed office on May 29, 2023, clearly revealed that the immediate past governor, Senator Okowa’s shadow does not and will never reflect in decision making and governance issues as mischievously alleged by those who do not mean well for the state.
Dr Oghenesivbe, assured that governor Oborevwori will continue to sustain his robust relationship with Senator Okowa and other past governors, as well as political leaders across the three senatorial districts irrespective of political affiliations, and not minding the pains and agony it would inflict on those deeply troubled by the watertight relationship existing in the state’s leadership and political structures.
The Communication Bureau Chief, disclosed that immediate past governor, Senator Okowa does not interfere with governance issues in Delta State, nothing that some persons who are currently exhibiting dual personality in early preparation for the 2027 general elections in the state, are too quick to initiate media attacks on their perceived opponents, noting that such media strategy may in some ways impact negatively on reputation and political relevance.
Said he “The social media is flooded with divisive media propaganda sponsored by some political gladiators, aimed at causing hate, promote ethnic and tribal sentiments or considerations. Their focus is on governor Sheriff Oborevwori and immediate past governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON.
“The simple gospel truth is that governor Oborevwori and Senator Okowa remain united. Their robust relationship shall continue. Media propaganda cannot separate the two indefatigable leaders.
“That same measure of solid relationship also exist between governor Oborevwori, other past governors and political leaders in the state, irrespective of political affiliations. The leadership style of our amiable governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, JP, is unique, personalized and does not fuse with that of any past governor”, Dr. Oghenesivbe stated.