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Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, aka Agenda, PDP Publicity Secretary, Delta state.

The press release war between the All Peoples Congress (APC) in Delta and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has remained unabated, and in fact getting more intense.

While the APC through its state Publicity Secretary, Barr. Sylvester Imonina has become relentless in making releases attacking the Governor Ifeanyi-led PDP administration, the PDP Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, has proven to be fit and indeed, adept at issuing quick response to the APC’s statements.

In its latest response to APC’s statement with the headline: “Stop being insensitive to the plights of Deltans – APC charges Okowa”, Dr. Osuoza in a statement for PDP described the APC as “a party driven by squalid, riotous life, and a diabolical sense of humour.”

PDP stated: “The Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is once again compelled to set the records straight and educate the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, on matters of governance, which it knows next to nothing about, and in this particular instance, the functions and activities of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA).

“Their latest adventure in this charade of sophism titled: “STOP BEING INSENSITIVE TO THE PLIGHTS OF DELTANS.- APC CHARGES OKOWA,” signed by the APC’s State Publicity Secretary, Barr. Ogheneluemu Sylvester Imonina, is an obvious work of deception which has not only elevated it’s diabolical humour to preposterous levels, but sadly portrays APC once again, as shedding it’s usual crocodile tears and putting up a fallacious sense of populist sympathy, because the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has taken the bull by the horns to ensure that it fulfills its campaign mandate encapsulated in the SMART Agenda, of bringing to Deltans a “transformed Environment through Urban Renewal.”

Find below full text of the PDP response to APC’s statement.

PRESS RELEASE

22nd January, 2020

APC: A PARTY DRIVEN BY SQUALID, RIOTOUS LIFE, AND A DIABOLICAL SENSE OF HUMOUR

The Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is once again compelled to set the records straight and educate the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, on matters of governance, which it knows next to nothing about, and in this particular instance, the functions and activities of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA).

Their latest adventure in this charade of sophism titled: “STOP BEING INSENSITIVE TO THE PLIGHTS OF DELTANS.- APC CHARGES OKOWA,” signed by the APC’s State Publicity Secretary, Barr. Ogheneluemu Sylvester Imonina, is an obvious work of deception which has not only elevated it’s diabolical humour to preposterous levels, but sadly portrays APC once again, as shedding it’s usual crocodile tears and putting up a fallacious sense of populist sympathy, because the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has taken the bull by the horns to ensure that it fulfills its campaign mandate encapsulated in the SMART Agenda, of bringing to Deltans a “transformed Environment through Urban Renewal.”

The question we ask the APC is, should a people, while striving to earn a living, become lawless and show disregard to the laws governing trading activities in their environment? And when a government decides to implement rules for the sake of transforming the environment to achieve urban renewal and give the people a sense of modernity and a properly ordered existence, should the government not be commended?

Yet, it is the same APC loud mouths that make jests in their various political cocoons, casting the Asaba environment as not befitting of a State capital.

In their confused, befuddled mind, the APC talks about “hardship being visited on Deltans, who are striving hard on a daily basis to eke out a living.” Yet, in the very next sentence, it states that; “The purpose of governance is to create an enabling environment and avenues for citizens to thrive in their legitimate businesses,” adding that “In Asaba, the reverse is the case.” Now can you see the confused mindset of APC?

Indeed, if the purpose of governance is to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, why then is the APC opposed to moves to get traders using illegal points to move to the approved market locations? Obviously, the APC with it’s press statement, has effectively exposed itself as supporting those using unapproved locations to eke out a living, while pretending to be advocating for them.

If we may ask: Are the highway or major roads approved and proper locations for traders, who cluster on these roads with their wares, obstruct traffic, endanger their own lives even and make road users pass through difficult times in hold-ups caused by the illegal occupation of road traders? Is APC pretending not to know the danger of trading on the highways?

Is the party oblivious of the fact that there are approved locations both on the Midwifery Road, as well as the Ogbeogonogo Market plaza which is also being expanded to accommodate interested traders, among other areas, already designated for trading, while the traders it is supporting are adamant and want to eat their cakes and have it?

Should a responsible government allow illegality to thrive merely because persons who deliberately contravene the laws are working hard to eke a living? The clear answer is NO.

We make bold to state that the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA), whose duty it is to help achieve a transformed environment through urban renewal, is intensely delivering on this mandate and that Asaba, as the State capital, should be the prime location to start with in the enforcement of trading and environment laws of the State.

The agency has now commenced the hard and challenging task of removing illegally built structures in unapproved places, after a series of announcements had already been delivered to the owners of these structures to move to locations approved by the government, for trading activities. The objective is to ensure that every nook and cranny in the capital city is not turned into a bedlam of commercial activity, with shanties springing up everywhere because some people are “working hard to eke a living.” Indeed, there must be order and sanity and as the APC rightly observed, the reverse should not be the case with Asaba, the State capital.

We are also amazed by the crass ignorance displayed by APC publicists about the goings-on in their State and it befuddles the imagination to observe that they don’t even know the appropriate name of the agency created by the law of the State House of Assembly to handle matters affecting the State capital territory. In their ignorance and illiterate style, they referred to the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, DSCTDA, as Asaba Development Commission. This is saddening, illiterate and careless and they really should know better as an opposition party.

It is equally important to inform the APC that the law is quite clear and specific on the duties assigned to DSCTDA on Asaba, as the capital city in the State capital territory and therefore it would not require “the overt and covert’ influence of the governor for the agency to carry out its duties and do what is right and proper.

While we sympathise with APC as it stumbles under the heavy yoke of playing opposition politics in a State where they have zero capacity and relevance, we suggest in case it is once again seized with the drunken urge to issue yet another spurious press statement, that it may perhaps be more ingenious for them to point at verifiable facts and not unfounded political conjectures like the tired slogan of “settling old scores”, to score cheap points, in it’s wasted effort to discredit the agency by claiming it went outside its legal mandate. Sadly, we fear that the APC may rather choose to stew in its own squalid propaganda.

Otherwise, is it not baffling that the party does not see anything good in the beautification work going on in Asaba? The party is bellyaching and opposed to the emerging aesthetics and alluring scenery created with the proper designation of roads and streets and the removal of clutter and filth, all achieved through the brilliant, committed and well focused work being done by the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA); an achievement that has earned the Director-General and her team accolades for the magic of bringing about a transformed environment in the State capital.

To dispassionate and neutral observers, who are advocates of a Stronger Delta, the DSCTDA’s Director General and her team deserve every commendation, support, and encouragement for doing a ‘Napoleonic’ job in sowing the seed of orderliness, sanity and respect for the law by people while “working hard to eke out a living;” and for establishing and inculcating in the general public a culture of getting organized, keeping the environment and commercial places clean and earning their living decently by using approved locations.

What has now become clear as crystal from their misguided statement, is that the APC is a dirty party that exalts riotous dinginess and filth. We therefore call on Deltans to discountenance their outburst and treat them for what they truly are; balderdash.

We also appeal strongly to Civil Society Organisations to be at the forefront of enlightening the people about the need to build a culture of living and doing business in a sane, orderly manner, by obeying the trading laws and moving to approved business locations, for their own safety and benefit.

Finally, we know that the teeming masses of Deltans and the general public understand that their interest and well being is paramount in the agenda of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led PDP administration in Delta State and we urge them not to relent in giving us their full co-operation and support to enable Ekwueme deliver on his mandate of creating a Stronger Delta of progress and peace and ensuring the continuation of prosperity for all Deltans.

PDP! Power to the People!!!

Dr. Ifeanyi M. Osuoza,
State Publicity Secretary,
PDP, Delta State.