Activist Tackles Okowa Over Late Hour Appointments, Queried “Is He Power-Drunk Or What”?

Human Rights activist, Zik Gbemre has lampooned Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state over his recent appointments, querying if the governor was power drunk.

Gbemre, who is the National Coordinator/CEO at Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC), said that he read with surprise different reports that Okowa had appointed Prof. Pat Utomi’s brother into his cabinet at the late hour.

He queried whether the appointment of the said Joseph Utomi as Commissioner and member of the Delta State Executive Council was for “settlement” saying, “he was appointed to do what exactly?

According to him, “We are still trying to understand the logic and the reason why a Governor, who has not been able to pay Delta State pensioners up to date, and who has just few months to the end of his tenure in office, is still busy submitting more new names of Commissioners and making more appointments to the Delta State Executive Council?, he wrote.

Gbemre stated this in his article made available to BigPen Online on Sunday, saying, “How can Governor Ifeanyi Okowa still be appointing more Commissioners at this late hour?

“What is the portfolio, office designation and functions of the said Commissioner because it was never mentioned?, he said adding, “And why Prof. Pat Utomi’s brother? The same Prof. Pat Utomi who was one of the APC Governorship aspirants that contested for the ticket some weeks ago.

“But the most important question is, what is the purpose of these ‘Late Hour’ Appointments By Governor Okowa?

He contended that most of the politicians were merely defecting to the PDP to grab late appointments from Governor Okowa.

“Are these appointments meant to get credible help that would assist him run his administration for the benefit of the people? Obviously not!, he said.

He said that despite the existing bogus Executive Council, Okowa administration has not been able to achieve anything in the last three years plus.

“So, what magic is he hoping these late appointments would do to his administration? But again, we all know that is not the main reason why these late hour appointments are being made.

BigPen Online recalls that last month October, Governor Okowa also appointed one Julius Takem, Freeman Fregene as Commissioners and members of the State Executive Council, and also appointed Mr. Mofe Pirah, Olorogun Talib Tebite, and Mr. Ejaife Odebala as members of the Governing Board of the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

The governor also named Dr. Samuel Ossai as Executive Director in the board, and Mr. Kelly Oghenekevwe as a member of the Board of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue.

Gbemre argued, “The excuse being given that Governor Okowa is exercising the powers conferred on him by the Constitution and the different Sections of the State Laws concerned, is nothing but rubbish.

“It does not justify such actions, especially when his administration just has few months to the end, he said.

Continuing, the activist maintained, “This action is only typical of a Government that has no focus, no vision and no direction to leave any lasting legacy in the lives of the people they are supposed to govern.

“I really do not blame Governor Okowa, but I blame those accepting to be appointed into an administration that has just few months to end.

“The whole situation makes one wonder if Governor Okowa is power-drunk. Or has he become deaf that he no longer hears again? Has Power blocked Governor Okowa’s ears that he does not hear again?

“Especially, even with all the back lash that greeted his recent appointments before the last one. On his own, he has forgotten that his administration is coming to end with his wagon of Commissioners?

“Why waste more public funds/resources, which ought to be used to pay pensioners and pay for the construction of basic infrastructure, just to satisfy few persons?

“The infrastructure will be used by the public to create wealth for themselves. An administration will sell itself better to the public by doing things that will please the common masses and not satisfying some selected few persons”.

All efforts to reach the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Charles Aniagwu to react to this report proved abortive.