By Austin Ogwuda
First of all, dear readers take a look at the above picture showing the incumbent Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the immediate past Governor Ifeanyi Okowa beaming with infectious smiles.
Wait a minute can the same be said of their relationship presently? Well, if you ask journalist Austin Ogwuda, he would tell you that it is confusion as I can’t really place my fingers on what is really going on between the two bed fellows; one a godfather and the other godson.
Even if there is a public engagement that requires both men to meet physically and embrace today, can the optics be the same.
Yes, today they may banter, hug, smile but can the smiles be seen as a reflection of true cordiality or just mere ‘eye service’, for the picture sake?
No wonder Williams Shakespeare wrote, “There’s No Art To Find The Mind’s Construction In The Face”.
Actually, one is yet to come to terms why two critical Ministries – Ministry of Information and that of Justice are yet to have Commissioners months after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was sworn in; even after appointment and swearing in of Commissioners comprising his cabinet.
Audacious Nosa Akenzua of the Daily Times gave his own account of what he perceived was the root cause of delay in filling the two positions and wrote thus:
“It was not clear why Okowa allegedly wants his candidates to occupy both positions, but sources said: ”You know, he still has EFCC question marks and the Justice Commissioner will come in handy, if it’s someone he trusts, while the Information Commissioner, as his pick, will know how to angle his perspectives that will be disseminated to the press and thence to the public. The man is very particular about his image in the public eye”.
Irked by Nosa Akenzua’s write up, Governor Oborevwori through his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon reacted immediately.
Ahon, in a statement in said “We have read with great dismay, the unsavoury and sensational report on an imaginary cold war between Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, as published by Daily Times Newspapers.
“We condemn the hatchet job and its unappetising and distasteful content as it is a clear imagination concocted by the reporter.
“The report in itself woefully fell short of journalism ethics as no attempt was made by the reporter to seek clarification on the alleged cold war between both leaders.
“While Governor Oborevwori holds his predecessor, Senator Okowa and other leaders in high esteem, reports of imaginary disagreements over appointments of two Commissioners are untrue.
“As professional journalists, the ethics of the profession demand that the newspaper should have sought the opinion of the dramatis personnae before going to the press but that was not the case.
“We, therefore, call on the said newspaper to withdraw the said publication as it is a clear misrepresentation of facts,” Ahon stated.
Ahon can be said to have done his job or he is doing his job but the big question remains; among our dear Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Okowa and Reporter Nosa Akenzua, whose report shall we believe.
The Town Hall Media tried in vain to get one of Okowa’s personal aides to speak but they chose to remain silent for now.
If there is no rift as the claimed, can Deltans know please when the two key positions be made, Your Excellency.
But the Town Hall Media is not comfortable with the silence from the corporate bodies that are supposed to cry out especially the Nigerian Bar Association NBA and the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, especially the latter which responsibility is gatekeeping.
