The All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council in Delta State has challenged the outgoing governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to explain how he acquired a N3 billion mansion in Texas, United States of America; and come clean on the reported plunder of over N250 billion assets of the state during his tenure.
Quoting reports published by a leading online newspaper, The New Diplomat, former Presidential spokesman, who is now Director of Communications and Media Strategy of the campaign council, Olorogun Ima Niboro said Okowa and his “man Friday”, PDP gubernatorial candidate, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, as well as the party itself, must of a necessity tell the citizens of the state what they did, how they did it, and how they plan to restitute what was lost.
“Even in the Holy Bible, restitution is a key part of the forgiveness process. Without restitution, there can’t be forgiveness. While we cannot speak for Deltans on whether they will ever forgive Okowa, Sheriff, and PDP, it is yet our bounden duty to demand an explanation for reports of heinous financial crimes that have since gone viral, but over which Deltans have received only deafening silence”, Niboro said.
According to The New Diplomat, “Okowa allegedly bought a massive mansion in Houston. Texas, United States, reportedly valued at about N3 billion. Sources reveal that Okowa’s mansion, which he plans to move into shortly after 29 May 2023, stems from his resolve to relocate to the United States just like ex-Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State who relocated to the US upon completion of his governorship tenure. The New Diplomat’s checks in diplomatic circles reveal that Okowa might be walking a very tight rope as petitions have reportedly been forwarded to the United States Department of State, Washington DC, as well as the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC, by concerned Deltans in the Diaspora who allege that the funds used in purchasing the N3 billion Mansion in Houston, Texas are illicit funds allegedly stolen from the coffers of the Delta State government”.
The New Diplomat further alleged that the fortunes of the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) irretrievably plummeted under the poor leadership of Governor Okowa (and) they blame this on the Governor’s reported: “greed to corner choice state assets all to himself and his immediate family, including the Delta (Asaba) International Airport, inappropriately concessioned to a briefcase consortium hurriedly created by corporate cowboys, as well as Delta Transport Services (Delta Line), multi-billion-Naira event centre, Asaba, Delta State government liaison office complex in Victoria Island, Lagos, etc, while alienating crucial political actors as well as leaving the state in very deplorable state despite receipt of over N4.8 trillion in eight years from both the FAAC (Federation Account Allocation Committee) and Internally Generated Revenue.”
The online newspaper further alleged that “Okowa’s mis-adventure has caused a big crisis for the PDP which is now seen as a corrupt, bad, visionless party with nobody worth its salt in terms of performance, education, leadership credentials, good background still left in the PDP”.
Niboro said: “Ordinarily, we would pay scant attention to this reportage were it robustly refuted by Okowa, PDP and Sheriff. What we now find altogether intriguing is the blanket of silence that has followed it. Instead of replying to these allegations, the ‘triple evils’ of Okowa, PDP and Sheriff had the effrontery to release their attack dogs against APC and our gubernatorial candidate.
“Recently, the triple evils, characteristically foaming in the mouth, had attempted to raise issues relating to the person of the Deputy Senate President and Delta APC Governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. The issues which they hoped would trend, fell apart very quickly as they were thoroughly repudiated by well meaning Deltans.
“The first was the effort to impugn the Christian identity of Senator Omo-Agege and label him as an Igbe traditional worshipper. But Rev. Fr. Mario Ozele, in his capacity as parish priest, dean and Catholic Pastoral/Episcopal Vicar of Ughelli region, described the claim as fake news aimed at promoting a specific political agenda. In a well circulated video clip that went viral, Rev. Fr. Ozele described Senator Omo-Agege as a baptised Catholic who wedded in the Catholic church; and a communicant whose home parish is St Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Ughelli”.
According to Niboro, “the second issue over which the triple evils tried but also spectacularly failed is the ridiculous allegation that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege converted N80 billion meant for the reconstruction of Sapele/Benin Road and the Amukpe/Agbor/Uromi Road in Delta and Edo states to buy a private jet for himself”.
He recalled that at an interactive meeting with the Christian Council of Nigeria in Sapele late November 2022, Omo-Agege disclosed that, based on his plea, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered that N80 billion out of N500 billion of the Niger Delta Development Commission fund that was frozen be released for the road projects.
“Is it this N80 billion that the Federal Government has tied to development projects that the PDP now alleges that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has used to buy a private jet? Like the Americans say, what a load of crock!
“It is clear that while the plate of the triple evils is full of allegations and more allegations of open corruption and fiscal misconduct, Senator Omo-Agege’s record, much to their chagrin, remains squeaky clean.
“We urge Okowa, PDP and Sheriff( aka the triple evils) to devote their energies to respond to the earth shaking revelations of The New Diplomat, rather than trying to divert attention with inanities that are neither here nor there!”, he said.
