Politics
FORMER GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN’S INSINCERITY ON ADVICE TO SUB-SAHARAN COUNTRIES TO DIVERSIFY THEIR ECONOMIES LIKE THE DELTA STATE EXPERIENCE
By ZIk Gbemre
It is sad that we saw a government in Delta State led by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, while displayed ‘gross insincerity’ in its dealings and activities with the public during its reign. Never have we seen or witnessed a government that uses all manner of publicity stunts to make itself look good in the eyes of the world, like we had seen exhibited by the former Delta State Government led Uduaghan. In fact, such publicity by the then Delta State government were often coated with ‘sweet talks/write ups’ that pleased only the eyes and ears but all aimed at deceiving the public. Some few weeks to his exit, the former Governor of Delta State stressed the need for Sub-Sahara African countries to fashion out a new value system and diversify their economies to achieve economic progress, just like it had done in Delta State.
Uduaghan, who said this in Ibadan at the 2nd National Public Lecture of the University of Ibadan (UI), ALUMNI Association, held at the Trenchard hall, UI, had also called for reduction of poverty. The former Delta State Governor in his lecture entitled, “Good Governance as a Catalyst for Development: The Delta Experience,” said the over dependence on export of primary commodities and mineral resources must be reversed. He said that failure to reverse it would make the countries to remain permanent under achievers, adding that the nation’s leadership should fashion out a new value system. He said that such economic challenges brought about the policy of Delta beyond oil, which had helped them a lot in transforming Delta to its enviable heights today. In his words: “I am leaving the state peaceful, secured and better than I met it…’’
The truth of the matter is that the former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, was not sincere with the said public-stunt on his call for diversification of economies by Sub-Saharan States like he had done in Delta State. Delta State under the PDP-led Government of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, his cousin James Ibori and now Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, is the worst example to use to analyze the said topic above. The Delta State Experience under the Uduaghan government and his PDP-led cabal in the last 16 years of ruling the State, was the worst experience that cannot be used to justify the said topic for anyone or any country’s benefit. This is hinged on the fact that the “real Delta State experience” under the said PDP-led government of Uduaghan and co, was in absolute variance to virtually everything the former Delta State governor had said in his lecture on the topic above. So the public and relevant stakeholders concerned should not be deceived.
The democratic attributes of ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’ embedded in ‘good governance’ have practically eluded Delta State in all ramifications within the past sixteen years or so. This has made Delta State Government to be branded by well-meaning Nigerians and social critics as a “self-perpetuating government” of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the State; which ultimately makes whatever the government does, a well-decorated ‘white lie’ specifically designed for ‘deception’ – for the benefit of some few but to the detriment of many.
The so called Delta Beyond Oil (DBO) initiative of the former Delta State Government which Uduaghan used to justify his diversification of the Delta economy as an example in the said lecture, was only on paper and not in reality. The said DBO Initiative according to the former Delta State Government, portends “diversification from only one source of revenue and exploring other potent sources of revenue capable of creating more wealth than the single source and by so doing, exploring other sectors like agriculture, tourism, transportation etc, all geared toward increasing internally generated revenue.” The truth of the matter is that everything the former Delta State Governor had said during the above lecture regarding Delta Beyond Oil and what he had done in Delta State, does not represent, justify or commensurate with the “realities” on ground in Delta State, as regards having a diversified economy.
How can the former Delta State Governor say he has diversified the Delta State economy when he had refused to embark on ‘genuine’ infrastructural development in the State that was ‘people-oriented’? How can he use Delta State as an example of a diversified economy when he had refused to build and upgrade the existing Osubi Airstrip near Warri to an International Standard commercial Airport that would encourage trade, commerce, tourism and ease air transport? How can former Governor Uduaghan claim to be “leaving Delta State peaceful, secured and better than he met it” when he was not able to provide the basic infrastructure needed for economic growth, assured security and investor-friendly policies that would encourage investors to remain in the State or come in and invest? How can Uduaghan be given the audience to give a lecture on “Good Governance” when the former Governor and his likes have not been able to transparently account for all the huge revenues that have accrued to the State, especially in the last eight years of his administration? How can the former Delta State governor claim he had made Delta State a good example for other countries to follow when big and small oil and gas companies and big businesses relocated out of Delta State during his reign in government as a result of insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure, hostile and unfriendly-business-
How can Uduaghan claim to have provided jobs for the youths when during his reign in government, restive youths who were mostly PDP thugs harass and extort private companies that were doing genuine business in the State and land developers in Warri and environs for example? How can the PDP-led government under former Governor Uduaghan make such claims in his said public lecture when there was practically no power supply, no good roads, abandoned projects all over cities across the state, etc? What physical evidence does Uduaghan have to have made the above claims, when all he had virtually spent eight years in Government House (plus the eight years of his cousin Ibori) doing were senseless propagandas, publicity-stunts and sponsoring/financing Awards (with Delta State funds), to appear good and ‘hardworking’ in the eyes of the public and the international community.
Without mincing words, the immediate past PDP-led Uduaghan government was a ‘failure’ that cannot be used as an example of a State Government that had demonstrated Good Governance and had diversified its State economy. The former Delta State Government under Uduaghan (and his cousin Ibori and now Okowa), have been a government that have only enriched themselves, their families and cronies. Delta State has one of the most corrupt State Government in the country that has been running the State in the last 16 years. In all these years, the said Delta State Government is being led by the PDP cabal; comprising of James Ibori (who is now in a UK prison over corrupt practices and misappropriation of Delta State funds), his cousin Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and more recently Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. The first two especially, have kept Delta State under their clutches, and have been running and handling the State resources with reckless abandon and impunity as if it was their private business.
It is regrettable that Delta State in the last Sixteen years or so is one state in Nigeria where the issues of unaccountability and lack of transparency have often questioned the integrity of the State government in the management and appropriation of Delta State public funds and resources. A look at Delta State from 1999 till date would reveal that there are more questions than answers, on the part of the State governments’ inability to account to Deltans; of how every Naira and kobo of revenue/allocation that came into Delta State’s purse were expended, not to mention the huge amounts of money also ‘borrowed’ by the Delta State government that were not accounted for in all these years.
What we even find more disturbing is the fact that whenever we consider the huge amounts of funds (be it through internal revenues, Federal allocations or borrowed money) that comes into the Delta State Government’s purse every now and then, and then compare this with what we see on ground in terms of development at all levels of the State, the disparity that exists is enough to drive any sane mind mad. Despite several calls by us and well meaning Nigerians in the past, on the need for the former Delta State Government led by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to be more accountable and transparent in the management and appropriation of the State’s public funds, we were bewildered the more by the atrocities that was still committed by the now former Governor Uduaghan-led Delta State Government as supposed custodians of State’s public funds.
The answers to all the above raised questions are not farfetched, as every well-meaning Deltan can attest to the fact that in the last eight years of Governor Uduaghan’s reign in Office, the people of Delta State have been left worst of; while Uduaghan, his family and cronies have been swelling in their private pockets and bellies with State’s resources. The former Delta State Governor had come out to tell more lies to Nigerians and the world that Delta State is a good example of a State that had witnessed “Good Governance” and a “Diversified Economy” under his reign in government. That is the joke of the century!
Recently, the former Delta State governor’s ‘insincere heart’ revealed itself again when there were reports that the Accountant-General of Delta State, Mr. Cyril Agbele, suddenly disappeared few days to Uduaghan’s handover and inauguration of a new government. Uduaghan later expressed to the public that the disappearance of the State’s Accountant-General was done in bad faith and he found it “very irresponsible.” But relevant stakeholders like us, are of the opinion that the Accountant-General deliberately disappeared and avoided the former governor’s calls few days to the handover because they were speculations that Uduaghan was doing so much last minute withdrawals from the State’s treasury using flimsy excuses of his government’s activity. It is unheard for an Accountant-General of a State to suddenly disappear few days to the handover of a new government and only appeared after the handover. The sudden disappearance of Mr. Agbele simply shows that he was avoiding Uduaghan to prevent him from making last minute misappropriation of State’s funds which put the new government in debt. Since he cannot expressively tell his former boss ‘no’, the Accountant-General did the wise thing by making himself incommunicado; just few days to Uduaghan’s handover. Now Uduaghan is coming out to create the impression that the Accountant-General’s disappearance was done in bad faith. Obviously, we do not expect him to say otherwise since his plan to engage in last minute misappropriation was flawed by the Accountant-General.
Well, Uduaghan should realize that telling such huge lies and misleading the people was sinful, and both he and the present Delta State Government need to repent from such acts. Even going to the Church for their usual “Thanksgivings” (like Uduaghan and Okowa and their PDP cabal had recently done separately in Warri and Asaba respectively), was sinful because they were unfaithfully giving Thanks to the Almighty God for a political mandate they have stolen and for misruling the State in all these years.
We are not God to judge anyone, and we are expected not to judge. But the undeniable fact is that everyman, including former Governor Uduaghan and all his PDP Cabal, will pay for all the sins and atrocities they have committed against Delta State when they were in public offices (just the same way Ibori is paying for his sins now). They say: “A good name is better than riches.” It is quite unfortunate that Uduaghan and his likes have chosen the path of ‘a bad name’.
The crux of the matter is that Deltans, especially those in political circles, should stop all the praise-singing and sycophancy for things to change for the good of all. Until we begin to tell our political leaders and ourselves the truth as Deltans, mediocrity would continue to be enthroned as lord over all of us in Delta State.
Zik Gbemre, JP
National Coordinator
Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)
No.28, Opi Street, Ugboroke Layout, Effurun-Warri,
P.O. Box 2254, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.
Tel: +2348026428271
+2348052106013
Website: www.ndpc-zik.org
