By Zik Gbemre
As sad as this may sound, the “Third Era” of James Ibori’s dynasty has just been inaugurated on May 29, 2015 in Asaba the Delta State capital,with Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as the newly sworn-in Governor of Delta State so as to continue this Ibori dynasty. Some might argue or disagree with us on this but the ‘undeniable fact’ is that whether we like it or not, the stage has been set by Ibori and the machinations of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) cabal in Delta State for the continuous deplorable dynasty of the former Delta State Governor.
It is a known fact that whatever you do in the past and present will always judge how your future will be and what you will remembered for. For instance, when South Africa’s Nelson Mandela left this world to the great beyond, he rested peacefully and the entire world came to a standstill just to honour him. Even when he was a live, Mandela was always reverenced and admired by all. The question is; can Nigerians and the rest of the world stand still for even one day to mourn the death of most of our present and past political leaders in government? As Governments handover date of May 29, 2015 has come and gone, can Nigerians, especially those in Delta State, applaud the Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan for leaving a good legacy behind? Can any well-meaning Deltan stand to applaud and say something good about James Ibori and the legacy he left behind for his cousin to continue, after his own eight years in office; which the same legacy and foundation the newly sworn in Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has taken over to continue? The answer to these questions is absolutely no!
Again, that tells us that whatever we do, or have done yesterday, will either make us be remembered for good or bad. Sadly, many of our political leaders, especially those in Delta State, are either not aware of this or they practically do not care of what anyone or the people think about them. But whether they like it or not, every political leader that have held a sensitive post like that of a Governor, will always be remembered for the actions and inactions they have taken while in government. And it is really sad that all we have had in the last 16 years of democratic rule in Delta State; is a dynasty of corruption of the highest order and impunity, electoral fraud of unimaginable proportions and self-perpetuating government of a ruling cabal of the PDP. That has been the deplorable dynasty and story of Delta State; no thanks to James Ibori,his cousin Emmanuel Uduaghan and now Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
Like we have repeated severally, Delta State has one of the most corrupt state Governments 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 Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and now Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. This trio has kept Delta State under their clutches, and have been running and handling the State resources with reckless abandon and impunity as if it is their private business. Despite the fact that this PDP cabal are no longer popular and accepted by the majority of Deltans, they have succeeded in forcing and imposing themselves on the people so as to hold on to power. As one was set to leave the Delta State Government House, he did every trick by using the State’s resources to put someone that will cover his tracks and to continue draining the State’s resources without any hindrance. Ibori started it in 1999, and after 8 years he laid the foundation for his dynasty and placed his cousin Uduaghan, who continued from where he stopped. And now, Ibori and Uduaghan have succeeded in placing Okowa to take over from where they stopped. This has been the unfortunate, pathetic and lingering deplorable State Government dynasty in Delta State.
The 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. The one that troubles us most and of great concern to well-meaning Deltans, is the fact that despite Iboris incarceration,Ibori is still using his connections and stolen public wealth of Delta state, to dictate and manipulate the affairs of Delta State from his UK prison. The former Delta State Governor James Ibori is said to be dictating the political affairs of Delta State from his UK prison with the stolen wealth of the State and of course, with the cooperation of his cousin the former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the PDP Cabal which includes the newly sworn-in Governor Okowa.
Though, it is too early to completely judge the Okowa administration, but the foundation that led to him being sworn-in as Governor, is already a faulty one. This is because the duo of Ibori and Uduaghan have been misgoverning and running the affairs of Delta State as if the State is owned by them; thereby making Delta State to be under “Political Slavery of the PDP Cabal” in the last 16 years or so.
We are surprised how Ibori is still able to get much access from the UK prison to dictate how to govern Delta State from his UK prison. For instance, even with his imprisonment, Ibori was able to impose his daughter to be made a Delta State Legislator in the Delta State House of assembly. This means, aside fraudulently owning/running the State’s resources, Ibori still decides (from his UK prison), who could be governor, Legislator, Commissioners and any other Government appointment on his interest in Delta State. That is the sort of dynasty the said PDP cabal have been able to establish in Delta State; using stolen State resources to achieve their objectives all the way.
While other State Governments across the country are leaving praise-worthy, admirable and exemplary legacies that would outlive their time in office, those in Delta State have been busy enriching themselves,families and cronies and also ensuring that they continue with such evil dynasty even after they leave office. Thereby leaving Deltans and Nigerians in Delta State with more hardship, suffering, poverty,insecurity and the State more worst than the way they met it. We are only hopeful and prayerful; like every other thing in life, that no “condition is permanent.” ‘Change’ will surely come to Delta State and this deplorable dynasty of the PDP cabal will be broken in shreds and forgotten for good, for we simply cannot continue like this. With the new federal government of President Mohammadu Buhari, who is known for his high moral principles and discipline, we are hopeful that the wind of ‘change’ will blow to Delta State and turn things around for the good of the common man.
But to those who have ‘stolen the Governorship mandate of Delta State, and have continued to milk Delta State resources dry, they all should be reminded that THEIR DAY OF RECKONING is coming sooner than they think. The evil that men do does not only live after them but also live with and before them. The day they will answer for all their crimes against Deltans and humanity will come like a thief in the night to make them all pay.
And to those sycophants and praise-singers that see or had seen nothing wrong with the deplorable dynasty of the said PDP cabal above, they should stop deceiving themselves by telling our political leaders “the truth” and nothing but the truth. The truth is that the few people that praise the Delta State Government; which include Uduaghan, his cousin Ibori and now Okowa, know in their deep hearts that the immediate past administration and the one before it, have not performed as expected going by the enormous revenue they enjoyed. But they will prefer to ‘always’ praise the government because of what they are gaining or expected to gain from the system. However, we are glad that majority of the people in Delta State are beginning to see things clearly and differently, hence, they had nicknamed Emmanuel Uduaghan – “Na Who you help?” What a ‘dishonorable’ way for one to bow out of a government he has enjoyed for eight years. We only hope and pray the new Delta State Government (that is if he continues to remain as Governor), will learn from these mistakes, turn a new leaf and start doing things differently.
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
