Okowa: Sacking Of My SSG, CoS, Commissioners, Others Was Not Ordinary 

Delta State Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, on Wednesday said that he did not ordinarily fired the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff, 25 Commissioners, chief strategist of the Government, all special advisers, the senior political adviser, and dissolved the State Executive Council same date without a reason.

BIGPENNGR had reported that immediate past Commissioner for Information in Delta State, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who earlier announced the dissolution of the exco, had hinged the reason for the dissolution on the need to give room for fresh hands to strengthen the administration’s agenda of a stronger Delta.

But at the 2021 quarterly media interaction with journalists in Asaba, the State capital, Okowa disclosed that he fired the state’s Executive Council to check distraction in governance of the state in his last two years in office.

“At some point in time in the course of an administration, there are always reasons to take some actions. If I tell you that there is no reason for the dissolution, then I would have fooled myself; then why did I have to dissolve the Exco?

“Of course, there are reasons. I believe that I have been in this administration in the past six years but two years in this tenure, while I have two years to go. Obviously, there have been a lot of distractions among some members of Exco.

“They have been working effectively and strong and so many of them have been very useful to me and I must thank them as I did yesterday; I must acknowledge that a lot of them have worked with me to be able to achieve that which we have achieved.

“But the fact is, in the last two years, we needed to be able to ensure that we reduce the level of distractions in governance and if we do not take that action, I may have an Exco that may be divided in the next two years and that will not enable me to achieve my vision.

“So, I thought that there was a need to re-work the Exco in such a manner that we will operate within the least stress where those in Exco will know that their minds are focused more at what we are able to achieve in the next years rather than in their private ambitions and beliefs.

“That was a key factor, otherwise the gentlemen that worked with me, who also include the ladies, were very good; they worked hard, they meant well for the administration and I truly thank them for all that we have done,” he stated.

Speaking on the rumour that he is planning to handover power to an Ijaw man come 2023 when there is a gentleman agreement within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for power to rotate within the three senatorial districts, Okowa said only God knows who will be Governor after him.

Okowa who was flanked by his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, said “it’s only God Almighty that knows who will be governor after me.

“I cannot pretend to be God, for I am not; I don’t know who God is going to bring and I don’t have the intention of playing the role of God.

“You will hear a lot more things just as they said I want to handover to an Ijaw man; I don’t think that I have the strength to play God but the issue is when the politics starts, politics will be played and God almighty will take the decision on who will be governor.

“But as I said, at some point in time as a political party, because I can only speak for my party, we will sit down to look at issues to find out what truly will be fair, what truly will be justified and what should equity really mean.”

On which senatorial district the next governor will emerge from, he urged the people to pray for God’s revelation. On purported power rotation in the state, Okowa said that there was no formal agreement signed and no formal meeting was held where the issue of zoning was discussed and agreed upon.

“But, whether there was any formal meeting in which a gentleman agreement was reached, there was no formal meeting where a gentleman agreement was reached and that is the truth as at today.

“It means that whatever we are doing or talking about today is about what is fair, what is equitable and how to define what is fair and what is equitable and hinged on justice,” he said.

BIGPENNGR had reported that Governor Okowa who mounted the saddles as governor in 2015 on the mantra of “power shift” since both Delta South and Central senatorial district had tasted power in the past, had told political gladiators who are scheming to take his seat in 2023 that he’s a governor who believes in equity as such his likely successor “must be somebody who is ready to ensure that there is fairness, equity and justice” in the polity.

Delta, politically is divided by three senatorial district – Delta Central which, in 1999 produced Chief James Ibori as governor for two terms, Delta South which had Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2007 as governor for two terms and Delta North which has Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor from 2019 till date.

BIGPENNGR had also reported that some political watchers in the state believe that the three senatorial district haven tasted power, the next governor based on the ‘selection order’ would ‘naturally’ come from the Delta Central senatorial district where the supposed adopted rotation system started from.

This may explained the reason why the 2023 race appears it is exclusive for the Urhobos and reason why more Urhobos are showing interest in the race than other ethnic nations who are not foreclose according to pundits.

But there are other school of thought who believe that politically, the 2023 governorship should be another fresh dispensation for “politics of the survival of the fittest”. This school believes that just like 1999 where it was a ‘free for all political fight’ before Ibori eventually won his party ticket and stood election to emerged governor, whoever that struggle the party – either PDP or APC ticket, being the major parties should warm up to emerge as next governor.

Among those scheming to be governor comes 2023 in the Okowa’s administration include the former chief of staff, Olorogun David Edevbie, Olorogun Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, and Chief James Augoye. Other top contenders who had indicated interest to contest the governorship seat under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 include Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, Okowa’s deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, incumbent senator representing Delta South, Senator James Manager, Kenneth Okpara, Sheriff Oborevwori among others.

Meanwhile, dependable sources revealed that the former SSG, Chinedu Ebie and Director of Protocol to Okowa, Ifeanyi Eboegbe are primed as deputy governor as part of the game plan for 2023.