2023: Why Delta ljaw People Will Not Support Okowa, Sheriff _DIPM
Francis Tayor
Warri _______ An ljaw interest group under the aegis of Delta Ijaw Peoples Mandate, DIPM has made their position known to the Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, who is also the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the forthcoming 2023 general elections that the Delta ljaw people will not support him and his governorship candidate in Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
In a Press Statement released and jointly signed by the National President and the Secretary General of the group, High Chief. Yusuf Eregbene and Comr. Oyinbi Onduku over the weekend at Ogbe-ljoh, the headquarters of Warri South-West Local Government Area, stated that Gov. Okowa's deliberate neglect of the Delta ljaw people in terms of infrastructural development coupled with the termination of Ayakoromo bridge, Odorobu, Odophori, Bulu Angiama, Toru-Angiama, Bulu Apelebiri Link road to Patani main Town, Torugbene to Ojobo road, as well as his refusal to upgrade any of the few schools in ljaw land, such as the School of Marine Technology Burutu, Esenabe Teacher Training College Bomadi and the newly established Technical College Akugbene in Bomadi LGA to a University standard.
The group further noted that the 2023 Delta State PDP Governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori was a good candidate for the masses but his boss, Gov. Okowa's maltreatment against the ljaw people in the state as well as other critical party stalwarts is the only challenge he have to contend with.
The group added that they can consider Gov. Okowa if only he can convince the ljaws by completing the Ayakoromo bridge project, Odorobu Patani Link road, Torugbene Ojobo road, upgrade any of the few schools in ljaw land to university standard as well as provision of other basic social amenities such as primary health care facilities, portable drinkable water, electricity and gainfully employment of graduates from the ljaw riverine communities in the state Civil Service and other ministries that is available in the state.
According to the Press Statement, read below:
DELTA IJAW PEOPLES MANDATE (DIPM)
PRESS STATEMENT
6th NOVEMBER, 2022
WHY DELTA IJAW PEOPLE WILL NOT SUPPORT OKOWA AND HIS GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE COME 2023
" We the Delta ljaw Peoples Mandate (DIPM) whose members cut across the six ljaw Local Government Areas of the State, especially Burutu, Bomadi, Patani, Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North has unanimously agreed not to support Gov. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa's Vice Presidential ambition and his Delta PDP Governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
" Since 1999 till date, it is the ljaw people that has been promoting the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State in particular and Nigeria at large.
" The believe ijaw people have in PDP, if any of her sons and daughters join opposition or another political party in Delta state and beyond, the ljaw nation will label such person as an outcast and enemy of ljaw progress.
" Ijaw means truth, and because of that, we believe in the senatorial rotational arrangement in the party, and as a result of that, we rendered financial, moral, physical and spiritual support to the Anioma people in 2015 despite our ljaw illustrious sons were equally vying for the same Governorship position in 2015.
" Unfortunately, despite the massive support given to the current governor, His. Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, who is the sole beneficiary of the Anioma Peoples Agenda, there is no concrete legacy infrastructural development project in ljaw land.
" Educationally in the state, the Delta ljaw people are lacking behind in terms of higher institution. And Gov. Okowa recently upgraded over three higher institutions across the state, but no single one was upgraded in ljaw land.
" Where'as there are few schools in ljaw land that is begging for upgrade but no attention was given by the Okowa led government.
" The most painful part was that, since Okowa assume office in 2015 to date for over the past seven years, there is no single project the Okowa led government has executed or commissioned in Bomadi Local Government Area of the state.
" The only legacy project in ljaw land the Okowa led administration is executing for the past seven years was the Ayakoromo bridge. But unfortunately, he has terminated the project in the guise of re-awarding it to another company without matching his words with action.
" As we speak today, there is no sign of the Okowa led administration readiness to complete the all important Ayakoromo bridge in Burutu LGA that will connect all the riverine communities to urban city in the state.
" Then in Patani LGA, the very important road linking Bomadi, Odorobu, Odophori, Bulu Angiama, Toru-Angiama, Bulu Apelebiri and Toru-Apelebiri down to Patani main Town was also abandoned by Gov. Okowa led administration for no genuine reason.
" Though, to say the truth, the 2023 Delta State PDP Governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori was a good candidate for the masses but his boss, Gov. Okowa's maltreatment to the ljaw people as well as other critical party stalwarts is the only challenge he have to contend with.
" The above highlighted projects is a clear fact on ground that we the ljaws in Delta state have decided not to support Gov. Okowa Vice Presidential ambition, and his governorship candidate in the forthcoming 2023 general elections", Yusuf Eregbene asserted.
However, the Delta ljaw Peoples Mandate Youth Wing shall embark on Ten thousand (10, 000) youth march at Bomadi main Town on the 12th of December, 2022 in order to publicly declare our position before the world, the statement added.
Signed:
High Chief. Yusuf Eregbene, National President (DIPM)
09020002830
Comrade Oyinbi Onduku, Secretary General (DIPM).
07066879446
