Former Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has taunted renowned economist, Prof. Patrick Utomi who is eying governorship position under the platform of All Progressives Congress in the state, saying that Utomi should consider a Councillorship position first.
He spoke on the backdrop of claims by Utomi recently that successive governments including administration of Chief James Ibori and Uduaghan had allegedly mortgaged the state during their reign as governors.
But speaking at an enlarged PDP stakeholders meeting to celebrate the victory of the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee at the Supreme Court held at event center, Asaba, the state capital, Uduaghan frowned at a situation where aspirants have to peddled falsehood against government just to score cheap political gains.
Specifically, he debunked the wide allegations of financial impropriety against the state government made by Prof. Pat Utomi, and urged him not sacrifice the truth on the altar of political expediencies.
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Uduaghan, advised Utomi and others who are aspiring for political offices not to be blinded by their political ambitions as to resort to peddling falsehood against government but rather should concentrate on facts and issues.
“Every man has a right to aspire to any political office in the country but such person must not tell lies about government to achieve his aspiration. Tell the people what you can do for them, do not spread lies”
Uduaghan urged the Lagos based Economist to consider actualizing his political ambition by contesting for Councillorship position so as to get basic facts on issues affecting governance in the state.
According to the former governor, his experience with Prof. Utomi has distinguished him as someone with bogus ideas but, does not have the frame of mind for execution.
He disclosed that as the Governor of Delta State, his administration made Prof. Utomi chairman and member of several committees as opportunities for the Lagos-based lecturer to contribute to the development of the state but, “if Prof. Utomi attends any of the meetings, he will not spend more than five minutes.”
“He bragged about his reach internationally, how he was going to bring international investors and we had to partner with him to organize a business forum outside the country with Nigerians in Diaspora for us to get the investors but, he did not spend 5 minutes before he left us, no investor came to the state through him.”
“You people should ask Prof, where is the Silicon Valley? He took us to his home town, Ibusa for the foundation laying ceremony of Silicon Valley, till date, there is nothing to show that the project has commenced; he has contested for the Presidency, he now wants to be the Governor but, I think he should start from his Ward, he should contest for Councillor,” Dr Uduaghan advised, amidst applause from the excited members of the PDP.
“It is not good to condemn what the incumbent Governor is doing because of your ambition, rather, you should bring out your programmes and sell to the people,” Dr Uduaghan said, stating, “Governor Okowa has done excellently well and we should join hands with him to develop the state”, Uduaghan said.