Delta state governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said that his political appointees who were absent and did not wedge kola-nut for the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), during its enlarged stakeholders meeting and appointees who fails to work and contribute their quotas either in kind or financially, for the growth of the Party shall have their monthly imprests forfeited.
HardReporters political Editor reports that, Okowa who made the shocking announcement Friday at the event center, Asaba, during the meeting to celebrate the victory of the Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee at the Supreme court, said such imprests shall be remitted to the party beginning from this month which will run for the next three months.
The governor who was visibly angry over the way and manner some of his appointees treats the party especially the way they absent themselves from the party’s functions and refusal to build the party was becoming worrisome adding that the time has come where drastic action shall be taken against such appointees.
While directing the party’s organising secretary to liaise with the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ovie Agas to forward names of his appointees who has no scorecards to show from their wards and local government councils since inception, Okowa warned to deal decisively with those appointees who have failed to empower party members in their wards and councils.
“You will think when the party secretary said that all political appointees should come out and wedge the kola-nut, you think he was joking. You are an appointee of the state government and you feel you can not be here and because of this meeting I have to rush through Owerri on road to make sure I am here today. Also, the house of representatives minority leader, Leo Ogo and other federal lawmakers came on road from Port Harcourt and you think you can not be here.
“You are an appointee and you receive salary, you receive imprests and you feel you cannot spare a dime out of that money to wedge kola-nut for the party. Some of you the appointees receive up to N70,000 to N150,000 and can not take from there to support the party. Well, we shall check the list. The organising secretary of the party will liaise with the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG ), and we shall have their imprests forfeited to the party.”
Okowa, however used the occasion to preach reconciliation and appealed to the party to work out modalities on how to bring back those who had intentions of leaving or had left the party as well as winning members of other political parties to the PDP.
“Please, reach out to our brothers and sisters to come back to the Party, we should be more united and stronger; don’t drive anybody away, this is the time to call on members of other political parties, including members of the APC (All Progressive Congress) to come and join us; it is the PDP that Nigerians want, it is a party that will give power back to the people; there is no more faction in our party, we are all one.
“The Supreme Court judgement was a victory for democracy, it will bring about credible opposition and make the government of the moment to sit up and do the right thing for the people; as an individual, I never contemplated that we were going to lose and I have remained steadfast in the party as a true party man. I want to congratulate all of us for the victory at the Supreme Court; I am impressed with the large turn-out of people for this meeting.” Okowa said.
The Governor called on Deltans who are 18 years and above to ensure that they are captured in the on-going voters registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) even as he expressed confidence that the PDP will emerge victorious in the 2019 general elections, stating that the registration exercise was a sure way for people to participate in the elections.
Also speaking, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said, the victory at the Supreme Court, was a victory for democracy and all members of the party, stressing that for PDP to remain stronger, political appointees should strengthen the party by spreading dividends of democracy.
“If you are holding political position, the only way we can build our party is to spread democratic dividends; Governor Okowa has done excellently well and you should not run down the government, especially if you are holding a political office.”
Also speaking, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor; chairman, PDP South South geo-political region, Bro. Emmanuel Ogidi, Mrs. Stella Omu, former Senate chief Whip and others expressed confidence that with the Supreme Court judgement, the winning streak of the PDP has been rekindled and warned against impunity, urging members to remain focused and committed to the ideals of the party.
Meanwhile, former Delta state ex-convicted governor, Mr. James Ibori was conspicuously absent from the PDP meeting. Ibori’s absence which was said to be deliberate, HardReporters gathered was not unconnected to some pocket of squabbles between him and governor Okowa, especially the way and manner the governor is running the state like a personal estate without recourse to the masses.
It would be recalled that this is the third time the former governor was shunning PDP enlarged meeting since his freedom from the United Kingdom prison.