Delta state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and the senator representing Delta North senatorial district of Delta state in the national Assembly, Ned Nwoko have been engaged in a war of words over some comments described as “derogatory” said to have been made against the governor by the federal lawmaker in a viral video for allegedly refusing to grant him an approval for the N35 billion Okpai Power Plant contract.
Nwoko had last week in a viral video openly castigated governor Oborevwori at the Ezhionum residence of the President-General of Ndokwa Neku Union, General Michael Ndubuisi (rtd), Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state over refusal of the governor to grant him approval for a N35 billion Okpai Power Plant contract, a project said to be a joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL), Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), and other multinational companies which the federal government also has a significant stake.
In the viral video sighted by HardReporters, the federal lawmaker while addressing a meeting of his constituents at Ndubuisi’s resistance had said “The project is about N35 billion. I have met with Minister of budget and national planning, and he told me that by next year budget of 2025, he will make some money available. But in the meantime, I have met the governor, our governor and I said to the governor, there are two options, either the governor bring the money I will pay to the contractors to go to work immediately, if I were the governor that’s what I will do, I wouldn’t waste time, I will pay them onfront so that they won’t be any story. I have discussed with the governor severally, but he is saying there is no money, there is no money, but I know there is money in the state.
“Delta state gets more money more than any state. The money we get in Delta state, the average money now for the past three months, five months is about N40 billion in a month. In fact, what we get in Delta is exactly what Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu and Abia put together is what we, Delta state get. One state versus five states. But of course, the governor said he is paying back the money borrowed by Okowa. I have had my issue with him and I will tell him here. The first and only caucus meeting we have had, they asked me to move a vote of confidence on the governor, the deputy governor, Okowa, house of Assembly members, so on and so forth were there when I spoke, and when I speak I don’t fear anybody because everyone has only one life.
“I told them before I move the motion, let me say my mind, my mind is very clear and I said look my governor, you have done well in Warri, Osubi and those areas, you awarded a contract of over N100 billion to Julius Berger to do flyover and bridges, but the ones I have been telling you to do for my people, you have not done it and I mention the Okpai step down and I told him to pay for it and he can pay for it. I told him about the Ogwashi-uku Dam which I will come to later. The fact is that there is a big gap between what is happening in Delta North and what is happening in other senatorial districts.
“So, I said to the governor, if he doesn’t want to pay for the step down in Okpai, I told him I can arrange for the finance through a finance company in abroad. They will pay the money to the contractor, the contractor will do the work and they will collect their money from billing and all I just want from the governor is to give me the go ahead and it will be done. As a business man with my exposure, I understand international finance, I have two companies waiting”.
Nwoko’s comments has however infuriated so many people, especially politicians from Delta Central and Delta South senatorial districts of the state and has continued to generate series of mixed reactions, describing it as “outburst of a drowning, greedy and selfish man” by many.
Meanwhile, governor Oborevwori, through the Director General of the Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe has also fired back at the federal lawmaker, saying he cannot be intimidated him or anyone, no matter how highly placed.
The governor’s aide in a statement titled “Okpai Power Plant: Senator Nwoko Should Partner With Federal Government And Other Stakeholders” lamented that throughout the eight years of former governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who hails from the same Delta North senatorial district with the federal lawmaker, he was completely muted while Delta Central where the incumbent governor hails from suffered underdevelopment.
“Throughout the 8 years Delta North took her turn on power rotation to governor the state through Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON, Delta Central political gladiators and stakeholders watched how development played out for Delta Central Senatorial District. The result is there for all Deltans to see. Nwoko was completely muted. Senator Nwoko must be told that Delta North is not the only relevant Senatorial District in Delta State, and therefore, development must of a necessity be experienced and/or noticed in Delta Central and Delta South, while also focusing on upscaling development in Delta North. That’s the very essence of power rotation, to spread development.
“What Deltans deduced from Senator Nwoko’s outburst is that governor Oborevwori ought to concentrate on Delta North alone, with little or no development in Delta South and Delta Central. This is unfair reasoning coming from a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Delta Central people are not cowards, they are simply peaceful and coolheaded. From all indications, the Senator Nwoko’s derogatory statement against governor Oborevwori is not the position of the good people of Delta North. The immediate past governor of Delta state, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON, is the authentic leader of Delta North senatorial district, and he’s obviously on the same page with governor Oborevwori.
“The Senaror cannot and should never suggest to the Governor how the state’s federal allocation should be applied to projects. At best, Nwoko should wait until he becomes the first governor of Anioma State, his pet project. The Okpai Power Plant is a joint venture between the NNPC, NAOC, and other multinational companies. The federal government has a significant stake in the project, making it a national asset rather than a state-owned initiative. Senator Nwoko lack the moral and legal justification to dictate to Oborevwori how the state should be governed. Where was he during the immediate past administration? Why was he muted, only to spread out in this dispensation?
“Governor Oborevwori is a Justice of the Peace, and his visionary leadership is never in doubt. He owes no one apology over his prudent management of Delta State resources, and can neither be intimidated nor coerced by Senator Nwoko and his associates. Since assuming office as Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Oborevwori has shown capacity, wisdom and equity in the award of contracts, spread of development and political appointments spread across the three senatorial districts; Delta Central, Delta North and Delta South, respectively. Senator Nwoko does not have the inherent or constitutional powers to dictate how governor Oborevwori should govern the state. The governor welcomes constructive criticism, but with a caveat. Such criticisms must be devoid of arrogance, disrespect and derogatory statements.
“The owners of the project are financially stable and capable. They swim in billions of dollars. They are neither broke nor bankrupt. Senator Nwoko should partner with the federal government and other stakeholders to ensure the project’s timely completion. His influence as a senator can be leveraged to facilitate dialogue between the federal government, NNPCL, NAOC, and other partners to resolve any challenges hindering the project’s completion. Again, it is important to stress the fact that governor Oborevwori cannot be intimidated by conspiracy theory, social or economic status of an individual or group of individuals in the discharge of his constitutionally assigned responsibility as governor of Delta State.”, Oghenesivbe warned.
Also firing back at the federal lawmaker, the Executive Assistant (EA) on new media, Fred Edoreh, described his comments on the governor as “misleading, wrong call, unnecessary outburst and misdirected attack on the governor.”
“His call is to create disaffection against the Governor for allegedly refusing his lobby to provide N35 billion to the contractors for the completion of Phase II of the Okpai Power Plant, a project of the federal authority and its joint venture partners. It is also really curious why Nwoko will want governor Oborevwori to throw an unbudgeted N35 billion into a project which has been described at the House of Representatives as surrounded by “ambiguity in its contract amount” and deficient in accountability and transparency in its execution.
“However, no one is in doubt of the calculated attempt to cause ethnic and district division in Delta State, possibly for projected political expectations. The attack could only possibly imply one blackmail: making it seem that Governor Oborevwori does not want to invest in a project which is expected to benefit Anioma. It could as well be a first shot towards what is to come. Time will surely reveal.”
