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By Chukwuka James Enomate

The recent attempt by Ifeanyi Okowa and his loyalists to suddenly posture as advocates of the IPP project raises serious questions about sincerity, competence and accountability.

For nearly a decade as governor of Delta State, Okowa controlled the machinery of government, supervised state resources, influenced federal connections and enjoyed enormous political power. Yet, throughout those eight years, the IPP project was largely abandoned, he has Governor continuously failed to deliver the transformational impact repeatedly promised to the people. Communities continued to suffer poor electricity supply, underdevelopment and economic stagnation despite all the political speeches and media propaganda.

As a Senator for 4 years (2011-2015) he absolutely had no clue about the IPP project hence he never spoke about it on the floor of the Senate

Today, after leaving office, the same individuals who ignored these strategic projects are attempting to create the impression that they suddenly discovered their importance. That contradiction alone exposes the insincerity behind the recent narratives.

Senator Ned Nwoko made the issue very clear when he stated:
“Why didn’t he do it as a senator? He didn’t even know it existed. What about when he was governor for 8 years? This was why the governor asked me why didn’t I ask Okowa to do these projects when he was governor. I told him that I was not the senator at the time. But it is my duty now. They must do the right thing now. This can be done and completed within the next 6 months.”

That statement strikes at the heart of the matter. Leadership is not about making noise after leaving office; leadership is about taking action when entrusted with power. If these projects could truly be advanced within months, as Senator Ned indicated, then the obvious question becomes: what exactly stopped Okowa for eight whole years?

The truth is simple. Many of these projects became political talking points rather than genuine development priorities. The people were fed promises while critical infrastructure suffered neglect. The Ogwashi-Uku Dam, which has enormous agricultural, industrial, and water supply potential, should have been aggressively pursued years ago. The IPP project should have significantly improved electricity access and stimulated economic activities across Delta communities. Instead, the people were left with excuses and recycled rhetoric.
What about the Kwale Industrial park or the failure to create a state owned institution in Ndokwa land, not even a campus is situated in Ndokwa land, and this is after three new universities were created. Yet Okowa claims to suddenly love Ndokwa people, who is deceiving who

What Delta North needs now is not another round of image laundering or political revisionism. The people need leaders who identify problems early, confront them decisively, and deliver measurable results. Governance must be judged by completed projects and visible impact, not by press statements after opportunities have already been wasted.

History is stubborn. No amount of propaganda can erase the fact that those who had the power to act for years failed to do so. The people are wiser now, and they can clearly distinguish between those who ignored development when they had authority and those who are actively pushing solutions today.