By Austin Ogwuda
DELTA Ijaw leaders in the All Progressives Congress APC have criticised the recent statement credited to Chief Broderick Bozimo to the effect that Ijaws in the entire Delta State have agreed to endorse Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for a second term in office, come 2027.
They disputed this claim made by Bozimo when he led a delegation on courtesy visit to the Delta State governor recently praising the governor for doing a lot for the Ijaw people.
Rather, on the contrary, the Delta Ijaw APC in a press statement made available to The Townhall today (Thursday) listed abandoned projects in Ijaw land, describing Bozimo encumions on the governor as “deliberate attempt to mislead the public by downplaying the gross neglect of Ijawland by the Delta State government”.
The statement signed by its Coordinator, Hon (Dr) Emibra Agbeotu titled, ‘YOU CANNOT SPEAK FOR DELTA IJAW NATION, DELTA IJAW APC LEADERS TELL BOZIMO, reads in full:
“We, members of the Delta ijaw APC Leaders read with consternation a statement credited to Chief Broderick Bozimo, a PDP chieftain, that the Ijaws in Delta State have agreed to give their votes to RT Hon sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State in 2027, even when he has not impacted on the Ijaws.
“Ordinarily, we would not have responded to Chief Bozimo and his fellow PDP travellers because it is within their fundamental right of free speech to sing the praises of anyone they like.
However, we will not be silent when there is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public by downplaying the gross neglect of Ijawland by the Delta State government.
“From 1999 up till 2023, the Ijaws in Delta State have consistently delivered their votes to the PDP without appropriate development to reflect the support given to them.
The only time the Ijaws got a feel of something that looked like a grain of salt vis-à-vis our financial and material contributions, was the construction of Bomadi bridge.
“Otherwise, it has been a clear case of abandonment and continued neglect.
It is very clear we were being “used and dumped” by PDP administrations since 1999 and the present governor has not shown any sign that his administration will be different.
The Ijaws in Delta state have nothing whatsoever to show that the present PDP administration has initiated any project that warrants the kind of support and endorsement given by the self seeking PDP stalwarts to the governor.
“The PDP government of Delta State has displayed clear insensitivity to Ijaws in the following areas:
1) The Asaba Ase/Abari road – abandoned
2) the Agoloma/toru Angiama/Uduophori road – abandoned
3) Ayakoromo bridge – abandoned
4) Ohorho Bomadi road – abandoned
5) Bomadi – Ojobor road – abandoned
6) Bomadi Polytechnic – moribund?
We can go on and on.
“We are glad that Chief Bozimo echoed the strength of APC and the incontrovertible reality that we won the Delta South Senatorial District.
The Ijaws in Delta South voted against the PDP to prove that they are tired of voting for the PDP and not getting any corresponding attention from the government.
The outcome of the Delta South Senatorial elections is a clear testament that our choice to vote APC was not wrong.
“It is important to inform Chief Bozimo and his co travellers in their scheme that the Ijaws of Delta State will only vote for APC that can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.
“Chief Bozimo and his co travellers went too far in pushing an agenda that has lost steam, not popular with our people and one blunt exercise in futility”.
Signed: Hon Dr Emibra Agbeotu
(Coordinator).
Recall that the Chairman of the Leaders and Stakeholders of the Ijaw nation and former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo during that courtesy visit to the Governor, at Government House, Asaba, last Wednesday, said, “I want to thank you very much for the wonderful things you have done for the Ijaw nation….
“We, the Ijaw nation, have risen to support you. When we say it, we mean it and that’s how it will be in your second term; we will stand behind you when the time comes because you are a ‘talk -and -do’ Governor”.