BY ZIK GBEMRE
How desperate can Governor Ifeanyi Okowa be just to grab political power with all kinds of stunts? If it is not appointing unworthy portfolios at different levels of his cabinet in the name of “jobs for the boys” to get their support, it will not be about rushing haphazardly in carrying out the execution of infrastructure projects and patching roads, which made many wonder why wait towards the end of the tenure in the government to carry out what he ought to have done from inception.
All in the name of trying to decieve the public that he is supposedly a ‘working governor’ who deserves to be voted back. Okowa’s latest move is his so-called publicity stunt of plans to empower 26,400 traders with the sum of N10, 000 each.
Firstly, should this not be likened to ‘vote buying’ indirectly because it is obviously intended to ‘influence’ a certain group of the public to vote in a certain direction in the coming elections, especially the gubernatorial election? This is an important question that needs to be considered by all stakeholders who are lovers of democracy and are desirous of us having credible elections in 2019.
Why should a government, supposedly elected to bring about development across all boards, wait till the end of its tenure, to then come out few weeks to an election it is contesting to be voted back in, and start distributing money in the name of ’empowerment’ to traders? Should such a government be seen as responsible, and genuinely interested in driving home any concrete vision in the interest of the common masses?
Obviously not! This is nothing but a Greek Gift that is coming from Gov Okowa, just some days to the general elections, and at the close of his first tenure, which will be his last tenure if the voters should vote wisely. Again, no responsible Governor/Government will wait till the end of his tenure before making promises to the people he is governing.
No responsible and vision-driven Governor/Government will wait till few weeks to the end of its term in office before ‘hurriedly’ start patching roads that he has abandoned since, and appointing Commissioners, Special Assistants, etc.
It is a clear indication that Governor Okowa and his Government never had a vision, and they are practically clueless as to why they found themselves in Government in the first place. Other than to satisfy their selfish ambitions and those that are supporting them. The worse crop of politicians in this shame of a government, are the so-called Delta State Legislators, who are not only clueless as to the reason why they are in the legislature, but are also nothing but stooges and errand boys of the ruling state Government. If it is not so, then they would not be approving all these frivolous appointments and all the rubbish being dished out by the Okowa Government in the last three years plus.
What will the newly appointed persons do in the Okowa Government, when they just have for weeks to the end of this Government? I repeat my advise to all voters in Delta State to be wise, and come out to vote Okowa’s Government out of the Government House for their gross irresponsibility as a government. All that gov Okowa has been doing in the last few weeks towards the end of his first tenure in office, is to ‘decieve the people’ because of the strong opposition party in the State.
But he should be reminded that Deltans, and Nigerians in the State, are not deceived by all his political stunts. Gov Okowa is the one deceiving himself because it is obvious that the ‘game is over’ for him. The people now see clearly, and they know it is time he should be voted out.
Zik Gbemre
January 5,2019
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