Secret Reporters No place to hide
The emergence of the new governor is a clear indication and a practical example of a true democracy. His victory in this last gubernatorial election was embraced by majority of Deltans who believe in equity and fairness and fewer than normal agitated that change was important since he has been in govt since 1999. Though, it is a non deniable fact that corruption has not only eaten deep into the Nigerian system but has assumed a frightening dimension in Nigeria. Public funds are blatantly inflated and this phenomenon negatively affects developmental efforts since all moneys voted for infrastructural and institutional improvement are diverted into personal purse and that was another reason why people agitated for change both at the centre and the lowest level.
Just as some would say that corruption is as a result of our faulty foundation and traced it back to the oppressive colonization where the colonial masters colonized us without the intention of developing our dear country industrially, but rather, exploited our resources which they call developmental foundational problem. But the question is, should all these corrupt practices continue to linger on when we had enough time and resources to have grown? This brings us back to senator Ifeanyi Okowas victory as the new Governor of Delta State. As the new elected governor who was embraced by many who see him as a messiah that has come to heal the wounds of Deltans , he should not use junkies to form members of his cabinets hence, at the armature stage, the masses would start clamoring for change and when this happens, the senator will not be the only one to loose but Delta Northerners at large.
For this not to happen, he should not use the old people who have failed us abysmally and overpower the political class at the expense of grass root development for the purpose of his re election as he should know that gone are those days where peoples votes do not count. People like Rt Hon Martin Okonta should not be given any political post as he has wasted not just his 12 years of legislative representation but that of Ika south at large. He is one of those legislators who wasted 12 years without a constituency office and he was boastful that he failed. He told Delta Decides that it was not necessary to have had a constituency office because he has his mansion in Abavo where he was meeting with his people. As a then speaker, he was given some slot of administrative personnel’s to work in central bank of Nigeria [CBN] he gave it out to his lady friends who are not from Ika south, not only that, he was severally given the contract to renovate the Abavo cottage hospital but pocked the money and never did the contract.
Today, the cottage hospital has now become the meeting zone of wild animals. Questions were asked severally why Ika north east should develop more than Ika south and the people of Ika north east would severally answer that Ika south have no reason not to develop as they were never denied of any representation since inception of democracy. Now my question is; should Okowa still continue to make use of people like the above mentioned person again just to justify true representation of people of Ika south ?? If YES for the simple reason that successful politics can not be played without the Abavians then, the Governor should give him a passive position and raise another champion to his glory as there is a proverb that states “the sweetness of a pudding is in the eating” we must not allow this opportunities to pass us by since other senatorial districts went twice and not once.
By giving people like RT Hon martins Okonta appointive position is a political blunder and a denial of our development as development is seen as a multi dimensional process involving major changes in social structure , popular attitudes and national institution as well as the acceleration of economic growth , reduction of income inequality and absolute eradication of poverty and not increasing the pocket of people like RT Hon Martins Okonta.
