‘Okowa Reportedly Owing Appointees Allowances Running Into Millions’

Delta state Governor and former vice presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, is reportedly owing his political appointees allowances running into millions of naira.

The development, according to multiple sources is one reason the PDP lost the last Saturday presidential election to opposition Labour Party (LP) in the state as most of the appointees voted against Governor Okowa in anger.

An unsigned statement by “Concerned Political Appointees’ Forum” in the state alleged that so many factors contributed to the failure of the Party in her traditional strong hold including failure by the Governor to pay the appointees their allowances before the election.

The statement reads; “It’s true that some party faithful including the State government’s political appointees openly worked for the opposition parties to cost the PDP’s failure in the State.

“The reason amongst others is the failure of the Governor of Delta State to pay up the allowances the Government is owing the appointees.

“In spite of the money coming to the government coffer, Governor Okowa has chosen to run the State like a family business.

“He selectively paid the furniture allowances of his appointees from the Delta North Senatorial District, especially from Agbor area, while other appointees from the Delta Central and South Senatorial Districts refused to be paid, except some of them who have some closed friends with him to recommend them.

“The painful thing is that those appointees he refused to pay their allowances stood their ground despite their anger to deliver the Party in their various units but his trusted brothers and sisters from his area disappointed him.

“The Governor is also owing the appointees with impress in many months. All he cares is that as far as his immediate family is benefitting, he would not care what happened to any other person in the State.

“Meanwhile, the opposition parties are ready to offer any amount to woe these appointees to their camps, knowing fully well that most of these political appointees control large scale of voters.

“Except Governor Okowa take steps to pay the furniture allowances of his Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Executive Secretaries, etc, PDP should expect the worst political hurricane in the governorship election in Delta State.

“Governor Okowa should not expect the political appointees to reject juicy offers from the opposition parties when he refused to pay their allowances.

“If the PDP must win the State then all hands should be on desk to work for the Party which includes paying the political appointees of their entitlements before the elections. It’s said that a hungry man is an angry man and no one should expect an angry man to be at peace with the man who made him angry.

“It will be better we rock the boat than to allow the Governor have his way at all times. If Okowa wants his political appointees to go home crying after serving the government for four years then it’ll be better we sink the boat for everybody to cry”.

All efforts to get comment from the state commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, proved abortive as of time of this publication.