“Some Actions Are Just Damn Silly” – Uduaghan On Okowa’s Packaged Delta Traditional Rulers Award Event

The last is yet to be heard about the cold war brewing between former governor of Delta state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and his successor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

BIGPEN Online reports that the rift between the two helmsmen deepened on Thursday as ex-governor Uduaghan allegedly accused his predecessor of tacitly trying to take credit for all that he did in Asaba, the state capital and other part of the state.

Uduaghan who took to his facebook page to bear his fang in series of post dubbed “I Shall Be Unzipping A Little Today”, berated Okowa for mobilising traditional rulers in the state together to honour him on the altar of his administration’s ‘legacy projects’.

Uduaghan, a chieftain of the Nigeria’s ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) had soured relationship with Okowa since 2014/15 and it is believed that he left the state ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on account of the irreconcilable political difference he had with Okowa.

Although, he did not directly mention the name of Governor Okowa in his post, the former governor alluded to the fact that Okowa packaged the event to spite him.

It was learnt that some of the traditional rulers in the state under the auspices of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council had designed the award ceremony for Governor Okowa, his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro as well as former governor, Chief James Ibori but conspicuously sidetracked Uduaghan in the honour roll call.

The monarchs reportedly hinged their decisions to honour Okowa and others on three cardinal points which coincidentally where the main policy thrust of the Uduaghan’s administration.

Sources from the state say the governor cannot feign ignorant of the preparation for the event which was entirely bankrolled by the state government and promoted for weeks in the pages of the newspapers.

The incumbent governor cannot also claim not to be aware of the reasons why the traditional rulers decided to honour him barely seven months to his second term in office in such a manner that suggests he has done all his best for the state.

It was not clear if the decision was entirely that of the rulers but a source said the Okowa-led administration is being credited for building a multi-million naira secretariat for the traditional rulers’ council in Asaba and may have showered them with largesses that ostensibly had influenced their decision.

The three main reasons cited by the organizers of the event for the honour which encapsulates; human capital development, infrastructural development and peace and security were the policy thrust of the Uduaghan’s administration and the force behind his government.

Uduaghan is credited with Asaba International Airport, New Government House Complex, Asaba, the gigantic Interbua flyover, the Asaba Delta Mall (Housing Shoprite and others) and the Dome Event Centre among others supposed ‘legacy infrastructural projects’ built in Asaba for which Okowa is being honoured by the rulers.

Uduaghan, probably banking on Intel as former governor, alluded to the fact that the monarchs allegedly spoke ill of his person prior to the event for reasons yet to be fathom, saying “you cannot fund and mobilise traditional rulers to spite me”.

In one of the post, Uduaghan said that all the infrastructural projects being paraded by Governor Okowa for which he was selected to be honoured were his achievement as governor; taunting them to enjoy the celebration in the Government House complex and the Dome Event centre built by him while he held sway as governor.

Uduaghan also said that as an ex- governor, he has the capacity to either make the state ungovernable or peaceful for Okowa but he decided to be a patriot who even midwived the process that brought Okowa in as governor, yet it appears he has become a subject of vilification on the altar of award.

Some of the post reads: “Any ex-Gov has the capacity to ensure that his state is peaceful, or create a platform for crisis. You cannot fund & mobilise Traditional Rulers to Asaba to spite me. All of us get “smart cunny.””

“In spite of the lies out there, I was on the driver’s seat in 2014/15, to midwife the current DELTA STATE administration. The critical responsibility of any State leader is to ensure that ALL actions maintain the peaceful nature of the State.

“Today’s power is not in the guns you have acquired. Power is in the handset we are all carrying. In sponsoring an action, do you assess the ethnic & political implications at all? Some actions are just damn silly!!!

“Congrats to those being honoured by “some” Delta State Traditional Rulers today!!! Interestingly, you are being honoured for: Peace and Security, human capital development, and Infra development.

“On the inf. dev, those coming by air will be landing at Asaba airport built & put into use in my administration. Asaba airport had transported 100k+ of passengers including every past & current Presidents/VPs in Nig. b4 I left office.

“I wish you a great ceremony as you use the EVENT centre & Govt House complex built by my administration.”

Findings however revealed that in 2015, the set of monarchs also gave Uduaghan same treatment they gave Okowa on Thursday without much ado since Ibori who could have raised his own concerns if he was not invited for the honour was in London serving his jail term.

A source from the state told BIGPEN Online that former governor, Uduaghan has already taken his fair share of the honour and award from the traditional rulers while he held sway as governor.

In his reactions, state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu was quoted to have said, “We are glad that the traditional rulers council have assessed the administration of Governor Okowa and deemed it fit to honour him. They know the performance of the successive administrations.”

Speaking at the reception organized in his honour, Okowa described the day as “wonderful and marvelous in my sight’’, saying “I thank the traditional rulers council for the honour done to me and my deputy, because my deputy and I are on a joint ticket.

“No question can arise that we are honoured with our former governor, Chief James Ibori; Chief Ibori laid the foundation for the development of our state and I am very grateful for this honour done us.

“I am glad that you honoured me along with my deputy and our political leader; our peace-building efforts would not have been possible without Ibori.

“Collectively, we will continue to consolidate on our peace; by the special grace of God, we will remain focused, do those things that are right and serve our people in humility, because it is better to serve than be served.

“The strength of governance is in the people – every Deltan and non-Deltan living in the state; the more we run an inclusive government, the more successes we record.

“By the time we leave office in 2023, there will be good stories to tell, that is a firm promise from the deputy governor and I,” the governor said.

He also urged those aspiring for political positions to show love for one another, saying “we must not in any way disturb the peace in our state.

“We must approach the future with a lot of decorum; all anger and bitterness must be put aside, we must realize that as a more united people, we will succeed.

“We can only politick as friends, because it is only God that gives power; a stronger Delta is about you and I playing our collective roles for a better state to be achieved.”

On his part, Ibori said “we thank God for this occasion and thank God for our lives; after God, let me thank our governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

“I am thanking him because of his humility and the fact that he is very grounded in governance and for allowing myself and his deputy to share this platform with him today.

“I thank him because he has recognized that power indeed comes from God; he exercises his authority with a lot of caution.

“God will continue to grant him wisdom and he will never be carried away by power, because his capacity and ability to govern this state was never in doubt.

“Governor Okowa has shown to us that he has the intellect and the capacity to govern this state; God will lift him higher.’’

He advised not to distract the government, cautioning that “if your interest clashes with that of the state, Gov. Okowa will choose the interest of the state first; that is why we elected him as our governor’’.

Ibori thanked the traditional rulers for the recognition and for contributing in ensuring peace in the state by having peaceful kingdoms.

In his remarks, Chairman of the traditional rulers’ council in the state, Obi Emmanuel Efeizomor II, disclosed that the ceremony was important to appreciate the roles the recipients had played in the development of the state.

He stated that Governor Okowa had done a lot in terms of providing infrastructure in all nooks and crannies of the state.

High point of the occasion was the presentation of awards to Okowa, his deputy, Burutu Otuaro and Ibori.