Funkekeme faults statement against Okowa’s appointments
Aside the appointment of Hon Chiedu Ebie as Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Olorogun David Edevbie as Chief of Staff and Rt Hon Funkekeme Solomon as Senior Political Adviser, Gov Okowa had gone ahead to appoint 25 Commissioners from the twenty five local government areas of the state as well Special Advisers and other political aides across the three senatorial districts, but the appointments had received negative reaction from some quarters who felt the Governor appointment had some tribalistic imbalance.
But in his reaction to the outburst of a Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, over his statement that Okowa was marginalising Ijaw in Delta State, the Senior Political Adviser to the Governor, Rt Hon Funkekeme Solomon speaking to journalists in Asaba, said it is quite unfortunate that some people are insinuating tribal colouration to the appointments, stressing that in the history of Delta politics, Okowa’s administration has been fair to all tribes and senatorial districts in term of appointments.
Funkekeme, an Ijaw Chief, recalled that in the last administration, Delta State government under Sen Okowa was very fair to all the three senatorial districts in the state as they all got a fair share of the appointments in his administration.
He faulted the said statement credited to the prominent politician who used the media to castigate Okowa’s administration for not granting his (the politician’s) request to nominate a Commissioner, noting that political leaders are expected to show some level of maturity in whatever they say or do in order not to sell negative message to unsuspecting members of the public.
“No doubt, I have a lot of respect for our political leaders, but when some leaders go off course sometimes, it is important to correct negative criticisms of a working governor on the pages of newspapers and on social media.”
“The fact that a leader makes a request to appoint a commissioner and it is turned down is not enough for such a leader to go to the newspaper or social media to criticise the government of Delta state.
“I do not know the area he is accusing Okowa of not been fair to Ijaws. But I know that in the first term of Okowa’s administration, both the Deputy Governor and the Chief of Staff were Ijaw people among other appointments and these are key positions through which developmental projects can be influenced to Ijaw communities.” Funkekeme said.
He said despite the difficulties in embarking on projects in the riverine communities, the Okowa administration within four years as governor has been able to reach out to Ijaw communities in Delta state by embarking on long lasting projects, as well as appointing sons and daughters from the riverine communities into his administration.
According to Funkekeme, few weeks ago the Vice President of this country was in Burutu to commission the Obotobo 1 and Obotobo 2 to Sekebolo to Yokri road which is a 20.76km road, Oporoza internal road, Burutu township roads, Sokebolou internal road, Burutu Modern Market, while the road moving from Tuomo to Torugbene, the bridge in Ayakromo, Ogbobagbene – Ojobo road and construction/renovation of schools and so many other on-going projects.” He concluded.
Indeed, there is no gainsaying the fact that Delta State of today conforms more to a universally agreeable habitation than it was inclined to in the past. Delta has, happily, lost its dreaded status as the militant headquarters in Nigeria. It now provides unprecedented safety for indigenes, residents and visitors who, leveraging on the urbane policies of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration, engage in various economic pursuits without fear of assaults by men of the underworld.
Since Sen Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa took the reins of power in May, 2015 to this second coming of his administration, Delta has continued to grow and glow upon his unflinching cling to sane and strategic developmental policies in terms of infrastructural uplift, security assurances, economic vibrancy, advancement in education, humanness in governance, participatory governance and gross peaceable polity. These features have demonstrated to an extent to the Okowa’s exemplary strides in governance which have increasingly earned him accolades and laurels of excellence from respectable quarters.
The sustained political and economic stability does not make Deltans take their hard-earned security for granted. They cannot forget the woes of the past when criminals calibrated the state into conquered fiefdoms and commandeered shades of obeisance at will from vulnerable citizens. Delta people and residents are perennially appreciative for the freedom they now enjoy.
Despite this and the spate of developments adorning Delta State; despite the successes the state has attained in different sectors, it is doubtful if any past government in the state witnessed such coordinated vile shots as was being unleashed on the government of the state today. The smear coloration of the campaigns and the stubborn rattles indicate a bellicose mission to subdue objective thinking and hang convoluted perceptions of non-performance on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his Government.
But Deltans cannot be fooled. Every passing day, the governor continues to endear himself to his people and the public by his art of good governance. He keeps faith with his campaign promises of continuity, despite the banana peels delicately lurked on his paths. He has also profitably enabled the kind of political sagacity preached by our past founding fathers including Herbert Macaulay, Zik of Africa, Tafawa Balewa, Awo and other foremost political idols, by maintaining appreciable warmth with the people. This relationship has, among other benefits, brought about the progress of various projects and earnest resumption of construction work on the storm drainage systems and more road projects across the state.
But the criticisms and lies would however not cease insofar as the paddlers and the pliant Social Media windows continue to mislead and misinform the public. The Delta scenario presents a jaggedly slippery ascent for the deliberate naysayers of Governor Okowa’s administration. It cannot not hold water.
It did not start now. Recall the baptism of fire the Governor was put through at the threshold of his administration. Recall the Governor’s grossly misunderstood initial calm towards it. Recall also the capital the Governor’s detractors struggled to make out of nothing.
They argued that the Governor’s position was technically faulty and unacceptable to them. They have chosen to hold on to their illusions, insisting rather on dancing naked in public view, only to attract electoral odium from Delta’s sophisticated voters who see through their vain intrigues, hence the Governor’s overwhelming gubernatorial election victory and the sound endorsement he received by the overwhelming presence his party secured in the gubernatorial and state assembly elections.
In their unchecked bitterness, these fellows after Governor Okowa are already viciously waging war for the battle of 2023; and it will be foolhardy to think they will sheath their sword while the day of battle lingers still. And their ultimate target is the decimation of the People’s Democratic, PDP: the people’s party in the state.
They approach this mission with the mind-set that in war all is well that is beneficial to them. Camp infiltration with the intent of causing in-house disaffection amongst their opponents is therefore a veritable conquest tool.
But in spite of all that, Governor Okowa who earned himself the sobriquet, “road master” and “Ekwueme” of Africa has continued to dazzle the very psychic and body chemistry of every living being including his detractors with his unparalleled development strides across the state.
No wonder, various private and public institutions as well as religions and traditional bodies and youths organisations have continued to eulogise the governor and give him a pat on his back for his amazing vision, discipline and dexterity in the administration of the state.
But wherever the length of the critics could go, one-thing is certain: Okowa's enduring legacy of development has come to stay and should be emulated by all and sundry and not negatively criticised.
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