Delta PDP Slams Ochei Over Attacks On Governor Okowa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fired salvo back at former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Victor Ochei over the recent interview granted some online news platform in which he described Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s performance as abysmal.

However, in what appear like deploying all of its arsenals to reply Ochei, the party lampooned the ex-speaker for querying Okowa’s performance in the face of dwindling oil allocation and left out President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government poor performance which he had blamed on down turn of oil revenues.

In a lengthy statement signed by PDP State Publicity Secretary, Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza and obtained by BigPen Online on Thursday, the party tackled Ochei on several issues including contracts awarded to him as former Speaker, while also querying what he was able to use his office as ex-speaker to attract to the state.

The statement said that Ochei was “suffering from the effects of multiple electoral defeats, ocassioned by his ill-fated 2015 gubernatorial ambition”, adding that the ex-speaker was desperate for power as a result had left the PDP and pitched tent with the Accord Party where he failed again to win the Delta North Senatorial District Seat.

The party said that three years after Ochei’s defeats, he would have recovered from his electoral misfortune, but his recent rantings have shown that he has not learnt any political lessons from his defeats.

According to PDP, in denigrating Governor Okowa’s well chronicled and verifyable achievements, Hon. Ochei exposed his double standards, when he exonerated the APC led federal Government from abysmal performance ocassioned by the fall in crude oil prices.

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Continuing, the statement said; “Hon. Ochei forgot the fact that if a fall in oil prices could affect the APC’s performance at the Federal level, it could also limit the performance of any other tier of government, since crude oil accounts form the major chunk of government revenue.

In defence of Governor Okowa’s alleged “abysmal performance”, the party said: “Let us also place on record that during the attacks by the Niger Delta Avengers on oil installation in the Niger Delta region, Delta State was worst hit and for upwards of 16 months, crude oil was not exported from our Forcadoes Terminal, yet Governor Okowa recorded appreciable milestones in the initiation and rebuilding of critical infrastructure across the length and breadth of Delta state.

“Hon. Ochei forgot the fact that the massive empowerment of Deltans to become job and wealth creators rather than job seekers, is a star project that has attracted the attention of even Governors of his new found political party, APC and even the endorsement of very Credible international  bodies.

“Despite all the challenges encountered, the Okowa led administration has embarked on the construction of 149 roads that span about 764.39 kilometres and over 225.59 kilometres of drains across the three senatorial districts of the state and commissioned over 95 per cent projects, despite the economic recession which Ochei’s party, the APC, inflicted on the country.

“Hon. Ochei lacks the moral pedigree to speak on corruption as it is an open secret that his defection to the APC was to seek cover for his corrupt tendencies. Hon. Ochei should tell the world the source of his wealth as a billionaire that he still flaunts till date.

“He talked about star projects, perhaps he needs to explain to the world the role he played in scuttling the Independent Power Plant Project, IPP, at Oghara and the Asaba Township Stadium project, awarded to his companies.

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“We also read with hilarious disposition, how he boasted of what he intends to do when he becomes a Governor. Perhaps he needs to tell the world what he did as Speaker to ensure the completion of work on the Okpanam road which houses the legislative quarters where he held sway for many years as a Speaker and member of the House of Assembly.

“Perhaps again, Victor Ochei doesn’t know that the Dualization of Cable Point Road and Streetlights completed by Governor Okowa and recently commissioned by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is a star project to the people living in Asaba and the cable point axis.

“Hon. Ochei should also account for his twelve years in the House of Assembly and tell the people of Aniocha North Local Government Area, the projects he attracted to his constituency when he represented them. In the last two years and seven months alone, Governor Okowa has completed the construction and rehabilitation of several roads and schools including the Issele-Uku township roads, Issele-Uku/Onicha-Ugbo Road, Issele-Uku/Issele-Mkpitime/Olona Road, Idumogo/Obomkpa/ Ukwu-Nzu Road, rehabilitation and upgrade of facilities at Issele-Uku Technical College, Issele-Uku and other school projects executed in his local government area.

“On the local government council elections, the PDP has campaigned throughout the local government areas and wards in the State, Hon. Ochie is yet to come from his Abuja abode to campaign for his party’s candidates yet he expects to win election from Abuja without campaigning to the people.

“We therefore call on Deltans to ignore the rantings of Victor Ochei as the PDP and Governor Okowa are committed to the overall development of the Delta State”.

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