Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, Olorogun Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has advised the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, to explore responsible and result oriented channels to resolve his perceived dispute with his Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
The EACGOV in a statement on Tuesday 22nd June, 2021 and made available to newsmen in Asaba, said the advise became necessary to prevent the federal lawmaker from being used as an attack dog by certain unscrupulous political cabal that is hell bent on taking Delta State back to the dark days of multifaceted high profile financial recklessness.
He reminded Senator Nwaoboshi of the robust relationship he once had with Okowa, and urged him to thread with caution so as not to expose himself to further public ridicule and media fireworks capable of making him politically irrelevant during and after 2023 governorship politics.
Oghenesivbe noted that Senator Nwaoboshi’s recent persistent media attacks on governor Okowa, is purely political and a planned blackmail strategy by a powerful political caucus in the state, to deliberately undermine the landmark achievements of this administration, and in the process build popularity for the unscrupulous caucus crown prince who is already tipped to take Delta Central governorship slot in 2023.
He further asserted that the strong desire by Senator Nwaoboshi to pull down Okowa, at all cost for personal and the cabal political interests was responsible for his recent misleading comments, wherein he alleged that the incumbent governor did nothing for Asaba people in terms of development, pointing out that Nwaoboshi, cannot on the basis of a judgment delivered in his favour resort to name calling and character assassination.
“Senator Nwaoboshi is a well respected chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is therefore worrisome to hear him cast unmerited aspersions on governor Okowa, whom he once had robust and rewarding relationship.
“Findings have revealed that the federal lawmaker is working for a powerful political cabal, and further deduced from his misleading comments. It appears his recent pronouncements is a product of a plan by the cabal to systematically demonize Okowa and sway the minds of party faithfuls towards their crown prince for the Delta central 2023 governorship slot.
“Senator Nwaoboshi, cannot be saying the truth about Okowa and Asaba, because before the incumbent governor assumed duty in 2015, flooding and erosion was a major problem until he constructed gigantic underground water storm tunnels to finally out an end to flooding in the state capital. Nwaoboshi cannot deny this glaring fact.
“Today, Deltans resident in Asaba, including Asaba indigenes sleep with their eyes closed whenever it rained. Previous administrations with huge resources at their disposal kept deaf ears to erosion problem in Asaba, and many homes and buildings were destroyed until Okowa came to the rescue.
“It is a well known fact that Okowa rehabilitated nearly all the roads in Asaba, and constructed new ones within and around the Capital City, and went ahead to establish the Asaba Capital Territory Development Agency, to ensure comprehensive beautification and infrastructure development of the area. Today, Asaba can be referred to as an emerging mega capital city, and it shall be so by the end of this administration. It was not so during the previous administrations.
“The Ultra modern Delta State Secretariat is another gigantic five star project embarked upon by governor Okowa, situated at Mariam Babangida Way, in Asaba. This superb edifice will accommodate all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government. It has banking facilities, a Crèche, central ICT facility, central power generation, etcetera. It was not there during the previous administrations.
“The Stephen Keshi International Stadium is another five star project completed by Okowa administration. It is located along Nnebisi Road, Asaba. This stadium is one of the best in Sub Sahara Africa, and was accredited by FIFA and other Sports bodies, including Confederation of African Athletic, CAA.
“Delta hosted the 21st CAA African Senior Athletic Competition in 2018, and Asaba was beamed to the world. I am sure Senator Nwaoboshi was happy about this and he also can recall that Stephen Keshi Stadium was not completed and commissioned by previous administrations.
“As a result of the infrastructure and socioeconomic development of Asaba, it has become extremely difficult to procure land in the capacity city. We hear that a plot of land is sold at a cost not less than N50 million. It appears that before the end of this administration, a plot of land may cost N500 million, and Asaba indigenes who are land owners shall always be grateful to God and governor Okowa, for the rapid uncommon development in Asaba, and the state in general. Senator Nwaoboshi cannot also dispute this facts.
“I have enormous respect for Senator Nwaoboshi, being one of the founding fathers of PDP, but he must do everything and anything within his God given ability to sustain the respect he is enjoying from party faithfuls, and must not join forces with any cabal to ridicule Okowa or his enviable achievements in the state.
“We are all aware that politics is a game of ‘self interest’ which is why Senator Nwaoboshi, is free to play politics that will eventually favour him. In the same token, he must not use Okowa to strike his political deals with any entity or cabal, especially politics of 2023. This is the best advise I can possibly give to the distinguished Senator representing the good people of Delta North.
“Those who live in glass houses should never be the first to throw stones.
“Okowa will finish strong and must play crucial roles in the process that will bring about his successor. And as the state party leader, the governor shall lead PDP to another landslide victory in 2023, with a popular, humble, incorruptible, tested and trusted governorship candidate,” Oghenesivbe assured.