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The recent media attacks by the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Senator Ned Nwoko, on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori over the Independent Power Plant[IPP) project in Okpai, Delta State, has been described as unsavoury and an attempt to coerce, stampede and blackmail the Governor before the public.

Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr Olisa Ifeajika, stated this at a news conference on Thursday, September 19, 2024 in Asaba.

Ifeajika, who said that Nigeria operated a three-tier government system, with defined roles and functions, urged Senator Nwoko to focus on the job of bringing democratic dividends from the Federal Government to his constituency, the reason why he was elected by the people.

He said that Nwoko’s attempt to demonise Governor Oborevwori over the IPP Step-Down, a Federal Government project, was unfortunate and deliberate intention to create unnecessary tension in the state.

According to him, Nigeria’s Constitution operates three tiers of government, and we all know how government functions. At all levels, there is the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary, and they complement each other to function well.

“As constituents of members of the National Assembly from the state, we look up to them to attract development in different dimensions from the Federal Government to the Constituencies.

“Senator Nwoko’s job, like those in the House of Assembly here in Delta, is to work closely with President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council to attract development to Delta North, and by extension, to the state.

“Members of the House of Assembly here are also expected to work closely with Governor Oborevwori to attract projects and dividends of democracy to their people just as Councilors are expected to work closely with Local Government Council Chairmen to attract projects to their various wards.

“The first phase of the IPP project in Okpai in Ndokwa East, whose work started in 2002 was inaugurated by then President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005, with the capacity to generate 480 megawats of electricity.

“Senator Nwoko knows where the authority for power generation and distribution in the country lies. He knows that the national grid where generated electricity is warehoused and distributed is under federal control.

“He knew all these and found that there was need to get the management of the IPP to meet an agreement that was reached before now so that Okpai community and others around that area could have a step down.”

The Governor’s aide recalled that Senator Nwoko had on March 7, 2024, moved a motion on the floor of the Senate asking the IPP Joint Venture partners – Federal Government, represented by NNPCL, Agip and Conoco to complete the step-down project.

He disclosed that the motion also urged the Federal Government to investigate the delay in distributing 100 megawatts of electricity to Okpai and adjoining communities through the proposed step-down.

“The motion didn’t say that Delta State Government should carry out or complete the step-down. This is because the state government was not involved in any way.

“They did not also ask that Delta State Government should be investigated for the delay in distributing the 100 megawatts of electricity from the IPP.

“Senator Nwoko knew where to situate the motion, and it was properly situated. We, therefore, find his utterances a bit uncharitable for him to begin to armtwist Governor Oborevwori to pick the bill of the Okpai project, which was not in any way within the purview of the state government.

“Senator Nwoko is in Abuja to bring whatever is available there to Deltans. We see a situation where he was trying to coerce and stampede the governor as something akin to blackmail.

“It became more uncharitable when he said that the governor must bring out the money to pay the contractors upfront. This is very irregular”, he said.

“We expected Senator Nwoko to fight at the national level and make the Federal Government to get the project done and not to come to the state to coerce Governor Oborevwori to use state funds to complete the project.

“We call on Senator Nwoko to pursue the case with the Federal Government who owns the project. He should rather champion the reconstruction of federal roads that are in terrible conditions in his constituency, including Onicha-Ugbo-Idumuje-Ugboko-Ewohinmi-Abuja road, which passes through his community (Idumuje-Ugboko) directly.

“We are worried that as the only Senator the PDP has in the state, he is creating a scenario of frosty relationship with the governor. We expect a healthy and positive collaboration with the governor for effective development of the state.

“Oborevwori couldn’t have told the Senator that he was paying debts left for him by the Okowa administration, because he (Oborevwori) understands governance and knows that government is a continuum.

“Senator Nwoko should learn from the Member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi, who has been very vocal, fighting and championing the course of why he was elected, including the Ukpai IPP.”

Ifeajika, who was Chief Press Secretary to the immediate past Governor, also debunked insinuations that Governor Oborevwori was concentrating development in Warri and environs.

“There is this notion that the previous administration did so much in Asaba and neglected Warri and environs and it was explained over and over that it was necessary to deflood Warri before proper road construction could be done there, hence Warri wasn’t given so much attention like other areas.

“Now that the drains in Warri are almost completed, Governor Oborevwori has started giving the city the attention it deserves and it is commendable because it is our wish to see Warri come back to its glory days.

“Rather than lampoon Governor Oborevwori for giving Warri attention, he should be commended and encouraged to do more in other areas that are lagging in the development of the state”, Ifeajika added.