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Delta Governor “Has Descended To New Level Of Nepotism”
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Ijaws Threaten To Punish Okowa In 2023
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As More Funding Challenges Rock Atiku’s Campaign in South-South
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has triggered a deluge of concerns among Deltans over accusations that he might have substituted his Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro for one Lawrence Osiegbu, said to be his business ally.
The recent public appearances of Okowa, a running mate to Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has been startling for many as Osiegbu, his kinsman from his Ika hometown (Delta North) now attends public functions regularly side-by-side with the Governor in place of his Deputy, Otuaro.
On the other hand, Otuaro, who was elected twice on a joint ticket with Okowa has not been sighted anywhere close to the Governor in public recently, according to reports.
The New Diplomat reports Otuaro had tried in vain to succeed Okowa, who would later settle for Sheriff Oborevwori for the PDP Governorship candidate position in the South-South state.
Sources informed that the development has rattled many in Delta South, where Otuaro, an Ijaw man hails from. “Okowa has descended to a new level of nepotism,” he said, threatening “that his disdain for Deputy Governor Otuaro will be punished at the 2023 polls in the zone.”
He added that if Governor Okowa is interested in making Osiegbu, his deputy Governor he should make his appointment official rather than relegate him to the background in the realm of things in his government.
“If Okowa wants to make Lawrence a Deputy Governor, let him appoint him.
“It’s really unfortunate that Okowa has continued to use Osiegbu to sabotage Otuaro and mess with him.” He added: “It’s wrong and unethical for a Governor to be appearing consistently at events alongside a private business man and people of no integrity.”
This latest rage against Okowa adds to the sundry hurdles, including cash-runch which have continued to bedevil Atiku’s Campaign in the South-South.
The New Diplomat had earlier reported that many Governors in the South, including in the South-South have been attempting to backtrack on their earlier promise to fund Atiku’s campaign.
A party source claimed the optics are not looking good for the Atiku/Okowa ticket in the South-South as a certain “South-South Governor who was picked alongside Atiku to run on the ticket due to a prior promise to fund the campaign, has been reneging on the plan. Before now he has taken huge loans and some the loans were said to have become bad debt as they are not performing.”
Recall last week, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom state and Chairman of Atiku’s Presidential Campaign Council, was reported to have expressed concerns in committing his state’s resources to Atiku’s Campaign.
Like many, Southern PDP Governors, Udom was reported to have instead focus attention on rallying voters for the PDP Governorship candidate and his would-be successor in that state.
