Tag: Oborevwori

By Onyeamechi Chukwuma

“A true leader doesn’t create separation. A true leader brings people together.” – Anonymous.

Watching the viral video clip where Senator Ned Nwoko cast aspersions on the person of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori left a sour taste in the mouth. I have not seen such indiscretion and immaturity from a person of that standing. What was meant to be a consultation visit for his dream of Anioma State turned out to be a campaign of calumny against the governor with whom he shares the same political platform in the PDP. Brash and unguarded, Nwoko’s diatribe was bereft of tact, wisdom, and logic. To turn a forum for the supposedly noble vision for the creation of Anioma State into a platform to sow seeds of discord between Delta North and Delta Central and Delta South is something I cannot fathom.

The fall out of his intemperate outburst is that the real purpose for his visit to Ndokwa Neku President-General has been overshadowed by the media feeding frenzy on his scurrilous attacks on his governor and party leader. The media space is awash, not with the prospects and potentials of an Anioma State, but of how the senator has heated the polity, with his overzealous but largely uninformed army of social media attack dogs falling over themselves to defend their paymaster.

The senator tried, uncharitably, to portray Oborevwori as a sectional leader. It was his assertion that the governor has mainly focussed his attention on developing the other two senatorial districts to the detriment of Delta North. He cited no facts or figures to back up his outlandish claim but his intention was clear – to create the perception of a people being marginalised and a senator who is boldly fighting their cause. Ethnic bigots do not rely on facts. As a matter of fact, they don’t need them; they just trust their ability to whip up sentiments, stoke up controversy, beguile the unsuspecting public, and exploit the gullibility of their followers.

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Anybody remotely familiar with Governor Oborevwori knows he is far from being a sectional leader. The reason some of us campaigned and worked for him to be governor was because of his pan-Delta disposition and large-heartedness. And since assuming office as governor, he has confirmed our perception of him as such. He began the celebration of his 100 days in office with the commissioning of several projects at Dennis Osadebey University in Anwai, Asaba. These were projects he inherited from the immediate past administration and speedily completed.

As a true Anioma son, this is one thing I would forever be grateful for. I threw my all into his governorship bid because I knew that Anioma would kiss the two universities that were established by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa goodbye if his opponent won. Having a university has significant economic implications for urbanisation, the retail economy, and real estate development in the host communities. Aside from the universities, Governor Oborevwori has completed the Okpanam Ibusa Bypass, and is undergoing several other projects in Delta North that space would not permit me to mention.

Regarding the Okpai Independent Power Plant and Ogwashi-Uku Dam, Senator Nwoko, again uncharitably, fingered Oborevwori for their comatose state. He provided justification for his claim with the often-repeated propaganda that Delta State enjoys the lion share of FAAC allocations. It was cheap blackmail with the obvious intent of inciting Delta North against the governor. His statement was tendentious, mischievous, and totally lacking in decorum. It is inconceivable that a man of his stature would accuse a governor for failing to execute a project that he knows is mired in unending controversy, as the Okpai Independent power Plant that is a joint venture project between the federal government and some private investors.

His suggestion that the governor should have released a whooping sum of N35billion to fund the project is at best comical, and at worst bizarre. He sounded like a man that does not understand due process. How do you expect a governor to unilaterally approve such a hefty sum without any budgetary provision? If not for the purposes of grandstanding why not tell your audience that given the strategic importance of this project, that you are working with other stakeholders to convince the state government to insert the project in the next two budget cycles of the state. Is that not better than claiming that the governor bluntly refused to provide the money for the project?

And how about working in concert with the member representing Ndokwa nation at the House of Representatives who has also raised the Okpai Independent Plant matter on the floor of the House? I must confess that I do not know much about the Ogwashi-Uku Dam reticulation project but suffice it to say that if it were that easy, I am pretty sure that Governor Okowa would have done the needful. Or even Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who attracted the project would have actualised it long ago. So, what sense does it make for the senator to put the blame squarely on Governor Oborevwori who is just sixteen months in office? And it is exigent that I make the point that Oborevwori deserves the support and commendation of every right-thinking Deltan for the special attention he is giving to Warri and environs just as Okowa should be applauded for transforming Asaba from a rustic town pre-2015 to a thriving cosmopolitan city. Fair is fair.

It is obvious to the politically discerning the game that Senator Nwoko is playing. He is posturing for 2027 and is on a self-promotional tour to be seen as the champion of Anioma cause. It was a calculated move to raise the matter of Okpai Independent Power Plant at a meeting in Ndokwa nation. He wanted to create the impression the he is the one fighting their cause. This is also why he has personalised the agitation for the creation of Anioma State. There were no real wide, deep, sincere, and extensive consultations by Nwoko. Like a one-man-riot squad, he just wants to force his idea of the proposed Anioma State being part of the Southeast down the throats of everybody. And in so doing, his supporters have been made to believe that if the creation of Anioma State fails, it won’t be because it was not feasible but because of detractors among some Anioma leaders. He already has them set up as scapegoats if the agitation fails.

Political brinksmanship is not about being loud, reckless, and vexatious; it is about consensus building, diplomacy, maturity, patience, cooperation, and respect for others. One of the attributes of great leaders is humility. It is the quality of having a modest view of one’s importance. It involves recognizing your limitations, appreciating others’ strengths, and being open to feedback and learning. I expected that given the uproar his comments have generated that the senator would have tried to walk back on them. But instead, his supporters have dug in, fanning the embers of hatred, division, and disunity with their incendiary comments and combative attitude. That is not how to be the Anioma leader that Senator Nwoko so desperately wants to be.

•Chukwuma, a political analyst, wrote from Agbor, Delta State.

• By Jackson Ekwugum

Like him or not, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is blazing a new trail in the politics and governance of Delta State. It is a paradigm shift that some powerful interest groups and rent-seekers find unsettling, but it is one that is quietly but steadily changing the narrative in the state for the better. Their foot soldiers, the merchants of falsehood and propaganda have, in recent weeks, been fouling up the political atmosphere with vile propaganda of alleged non-performance amid huge allocations from the Federation Account.

Granted that Delta has earned an unenviable image for fake news, political infamy and dissembling by political desperadoes seeking attention and relevance, but surely there is a limit to propaganda. It is, therefore, exigent that I address some of the issues here.

Oborevwori’s traducers and the armchair critics frequently chirp about not knowing what has happened to the huge monies that have so far accrued to the state. The innuendo is not lost to the discerning. My quick response to this question is to ask if they have any proof that Delta State money is missing. In the absence of such, that question is, quite frankly, asinine. Evidence abounds all over the state of how the Oborevwori administration is judiciously utilising the resources of the state.

One of his first actions as governor was to pay outstanding promotion arrears to serving and retired public officers of the state, a gesture underscoring the recognition of their hard work and dedication. This initiative saw the disbursement of over N5.5 billion to 23,887 public servants, along with the reinstatement and remuneration of promotion arrears for 362 retired officers. The administration is also spent close to N2b on palliatives for its workers to cushion the deleterious effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

Within three months of assuming office, Governor Oborevwori got the entire state agog when he engaged construction giant, Julius Berger, to construct three flyovers and a Cloverleaf Interchange to tackle the perennial problems of traffic congestion in the twin cities of Warri and Effurun.  It was a moment of breakthrough for the young administration that got everybody singing Oborevwori’s praises. Elder statesman, Edwin Clark, on behalf of “Warri Boys” applauded the governor “for the great plan you have for the rehabilitation and urban renewal of our hometown, Warri/Effurun.”  Worth N78b, the mega project is a bold, daring, and decisive move that exemplifies Oborevwori’s commitment to excellence. It also portrays him as a promise keeper because in his inaugural address, the governor had assured Deltans that “Warri, the commercial nerve centre of the state, will be given special attention under this administration.” As I write, the projects are progressing steadily, and the residents of Warri and environs are daily thanking God.

Aside from the Warri metropolis, the Oborevwori administration has approved and awarded contracts for the construction/reconstruction/rehabilitation of 91 roads spread across the 25 local government areas of the state. This figure does not include the scores of inherited uncompleted road projects from the immediate past administration. This is a governor that truly understands that government is a continuum, and deserves accolades for the zeal with which he has completed projects he inherited from his predecessor, ensuring that Deltans get full value for their money. Many of such roads, including the Ibusa-Okpanam Bye Pass and Emevor-Orogun Road (Phase 1) have been inaugurated. The same goes for massive infrastructural projects at Dennis Osadebey University, Anwai, Asaba, and Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.

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In the light of the above incontrovertible evidence, it will take someone who is blind or dumb – or both – to say that the government is doing “nothing.” However, when confronted with these facts, these critics become defensive; they claim that these achievements are not enough weighed against the increased FAAC allocation to the state, following the removal of fuel subsidy. Yes, receipts to the state have jumped up, but the expected benefits derivable from the increase have been wiped out by inflation caused by the terrible devaluation of the naira. Who does not know that one billion naira today will get you far less than what you will get with it just two years ago?

The cost of governance has skyrocketed, and the amount to construct a kilometre of road or a building today is twice or thrice what it would cost just pre-May 29, 2023. What is the price of cement today compared to 2022? Worse still, the weekly fluctuating fortunes of the naira in the foreign exchange market exposes governments to inevitable but painful contract variations. When the minimum wage was N18,000.00 the lowest paid worker could afford a bag of rice, which sold for N7,500.00. But today with the approved 70,000 minimum wage, the same worker cannot afford the same bag of rice, which at the time of this writing was N95,000.00. Am I to believe that these critics and naysayers do not go to the market or store to buy anything?

It is preposterous for anybody to castigate Governor Oborevwori for exercising financial responsibility in reducing the state’s debt profile. He deserves plaudits for respecting the state’s obligations to its creditors, and should be commended for being a man of honour and integrity. Indeed, Oborevwori continues to astound many with his approach to governance – an approach anchored on meticulousness, team-building, bold action, and fiscal responsibility. More significantly, he has stamped his leadership style on the governance of the state, a style that is marked by discipline, probity, and zero tolerance for unethical conduct.

I find it disingenuous – and uncharitable – that anybody would attempt to point accusing fingers at Governor Oborevwori for the few security breaches in the state. First, the security crisis in the country is not peculiar to Delta State. From the Northeast to the Southeast, Southwest, and South-south, the nation is bedevilled with a myriad of security challenges and, truth be told, the resources and capacity of the security agencies have been stretched to the limit. Secondly, as someone who was well acquainted with the security intricacies in the state before becoming the state’s number one citizen, Oborevwori has the wherewithal and knowhow to tackle them. Indeed, his inside knowledge and behind-the-scenes approach to the security challenges have been very effective in ensuring that Delta State remains relatively peaceful.

•Ekwugum is Manager, Communications, Government House, Asaba.