As Deltans continue to battle hardship amid a dearth of basic infrastructure, unemployment, poor health facilities and abject poverty, inside details have begun to emerge on how the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state allegedly diverted over N200 million to fund the campaign of his principal, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
This is as The New Diplomat authoritatively gathered that Okowa has been allegedly funding the welfare of decampees to the PDP, by funnelling Delta state funds.
A letter issued by the Deputy Director-General Technology & Systems of the Atiku/Okowa Campaign, Chief Raymond Dokpesi as sighted by The New Diplomat showed that Okowa has been allegedly funding the transportation and logistics of professional political campaign rally attendees across Nigeria using state resources.
In the letter dated January 21, 2023, Dokpesi solicited for funds for members of the President Muhammadu Buhari/Yemi Osinbajo Nationwide Supporters Group, saying the funds will be used to transport them to Asaba, Delta state.
In another letter sighted by The New Diplomat, it was gathered that the PDP will spend a total of N31million on the transportation, feeding and accommodation of only 131 representatives of the decampees.
According to the breakdown of the budget, N15,720million will be spent on the transportation of the 131 decampees; N6,550million on accommodation; N3,930 million on feeding; and N5million on miscellaneous.
This huge expenses is coming amid reports that the Delta state Government under the leadership of Okowa has been allegedly diverting state funds for other businesses.
It was reported that Delta State has received a whooping N2.8 trillion as revenue in the past seven and half years of the Okowa-led government, with many concerned indigenes lamenting that there has been nothing on the ground to show for it.
Many had alleged that the governor is now very busy pillaging the State’s fund to finance his vice-presidential bid ahead of the February 25 presidential poll.
See the letters below:
