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Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has lampooned opponents from other parties aspiring to be governor to grow up and put up fair and intelligent criticisms of the doings of his administration, especially the huge construction and other development works being undertaken by his administration across Delta state.
He also assured aspirants for different political positions on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the primary elections that will produce candidates for the 2019 general elections will be free and fair in the state.
The governor who spoke on both issues at the Delta North stakeholders’ meeting of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), held at the Orchid Hotel, DBS Road, Asaba on Friday, 11/5/2018, expressd surprise that someone aspiring to be governor of the state does not see the need and importance of the state having a befitting State Secretariat that will bring all the Ministries, Departments and agencies of government under one roof.
Speaking specifically about the construction work going on in Asaba for the building of the massive state secretariat , Okowa said that a befitting secretariat was long overdue to be build for Delta state in the state capital because of the value derivable from such an important undertaking.
“Can we be happy as a government that we are still operating ministries from rented apartments? By having all the ministries in a secretariat, will make governance to flow more easily. When this happens, we can connect the secretariat to a power source,” he said.
Pointing out that whatever his administration is doing in the state Capital is because he believes that they are things that are necessary to have a beffiting state capital, and things that are of immense value to Delta state, he said: “I have no regrets for building a befitting state secretariat. It’s a secretariat that 100 acres of land. We have already put in the process for an independent power source for the secretariat. The money to complete the secretariat is huge but it is something that the state government can afford.”
And to his critics, Governor Okowa said: “Criticise fairly and intelligently. It is not right that those aspiring to be governors should lie to their people. I have a mandate with God, and I have a mandate with the people. I will continue to look up to my Father who is in heaven, who has sent me.”
He told members of the PDP at the Delta North Senatorial meeting that the power of the people to choose their candidates is a supreme power that nobody should toy with.
He advised those who have the intention to contest for the party’s primaries to consult with the people and shun the use of abusive languages.
“We have the right to aspire for any political positions, but we should conduct ourselves in honourable ways in our campaigns, in campaigning, you talk about yourself, you don’t talk about others, I campaign with what I can do and what I want to do and let the electorates decide,” he said.
The Governor emphasised, “aspirants, please, do not malign others so that we do not destroy ourselves before the elections, we are going to have free and fair primaries and all party chairmen should work with us in that direction.”
“No local government party chairman should take a strong position on any aspirant and if before the election we hear that there is any local government party chairman who is taking a strong position on any aspirant, that chairman will be removed from office,” Governor Okowa who recently conducted the gubernatorial primaries of Ekiti State adjudged to be free, fair and acceptable said.
He also, urged all members of the party to be committed to building it, stating, “it is important that ahead of the campaign period we should work to build the party, the party is more important than any individual; I am glad that meetings are being held at different wards and it is important that we pay our dues.”
Governor Okowa decried situation where some political office holders were alleged not to be paying their dues, saying, “we need to know those who are not paying their dues, I have to believe that the party is meeting because, any political appointee that does not attend party meetings should resign, you are holding the appointment because we won the election on the platform of the party.”
Chairman of PDP in Delta North Senatorial District, Hon. Moses Iduh had in his address, said, “we join the family of the PDP in Ekiti State and indeed, the entire federation in giving accolade to our very own, His Excellency, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, in whom we are pleased, for the successful conduct of the Ekiti PDP governorship primary which was adjudged free, transparent and credible, even by the aspirants who lost.”
He disclosed that the PDP in the state was recording successes because of the delivery of democratic dividends by the Governor.
Leaders of the party spoke at the meeting while chairmen of the PDP in different local government areas of the state gave strong reports from their areas.