Justices P. M. Ayuba and S. D. Pam, both of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have convicted and sentenced five oil thieves to various jail terms, for illegal dealing in petroleum products without requisite licences.
Court Judiciary
The convicts are: Wei Ibolo, Mudashiru Toaheed, Etim Edet, Martins Savior and Tope Alani.
They were all jailed after pleading “guilty” to one- count separate charge preferred against them by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, upon their arraignment on Thursday, March 31, 2022.
EFCC
The lone count charge read:
“That you Owei Ibolo on or about the 6th day of December, 2021around the Creek of Akassa River, Bayelsa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did without lawful authority and licence dealt in Crude Oil to wit: about 700,000 litres conveyed in MT. TIS IV thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (17) (b) of the same Act”
Court Judiciary Gavel
In view of their pleas of “guilty”, prosecution counsel: J. N. Dogonyaro and B. C. Kadiri, prayed the court to convict and sentence them as charged.
Counsel to the defendants: M. M. Suleiman and B. C. Okeadaka prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, insisting that, “they are first- time offenders and do not have previous criminal records”.
Justices Ayuba and Pam convicted and sentenced the defendants to various jail terms as follows:
Justice Ayuba convicted and sentenced Taoheed, Savior, Ibolo and Edet to two years imprisonment each, with an option of fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000) each, payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government.
Justice Pam also sentenced Alani to two years (2) imprisonment, with an option of fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000) payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He also ordered that the Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) transported in a Toyota Camry car, with Registration Number Lagos NF 301KJA, be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The products, he ruled, should be sounded and sold by the Secretary of EFCC or any other person authorized by him and the proceeds paid into the EFCC Recovery Account domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the vehicle released to the owner.
Both judges ordered that the convicts should depose to affidavits of good behaviour before the court.
The convicts’ journey to prison started when they were apprehended by the Anti- Bunkering Teams of both the Nigerian Navy and Army at Akassa River in Bayelsa State and Okirika in Rivers State, for illegally dealing in petroleum products without appropriate licences.
They were arrested with a vessel laden with about 700,000 litres of crude oil loaded in MT. TIS IV around Brass Terminal Jetty in Bayelsa State, without any certification by the Nigerian Navy to operate on Nigeria waters.
They were all handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
As the political race to Dennis OSADEBE House gathers momentum, riverine communities have their hope for a better tommorow rekindled by Olorogun David EDEVBIE.
Olorogun David EDEBVIE’s governorship policies and humanistic traits present a brighter future and greater comfort for the riverine communities than any other contender.
Undoubtedly, Olorogun David EDEBVIE’s quest for a reformed society away from the discrimination and unfair imbalance between urban and riverine dwellers had earlier been demonstrated when he pragmatically ensured the establishment of the interventionist Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs while working at the Presidency as Principal Secretary to late President Umaru Yaradua.
The introduction was to add impetus in tackling the development inequalities and infrastructural deficits that have made life difficult for the people for decades.
Never economical with the truth, Olorogun David EDEVBIE abhors injustice, promotes dynamism and professionalism in management and stands against unprogressive tendencies of the “status quo.”
Olorogun David EDEVBIE is pained by the total darkness surrounding the riverine areas across Delta State.
As a modern mind, he sees the riverine areas as part of the tripod of resources and has committed to developing them to achieve Delta an integrated and accelerated development of the state.
In Delta State, hardly can one mention any riverine region that has no deposit of crude oil. There is no riverine region that has no wealth of agricultural produce in Delta State. There is no riverine region in Delta State that does contribute to the state’s food basket, but when it comes to developments, they lack all the good things – roads, electricity, drinkable water, hospitals, good primary and secondary schools, none existence of tertiary institutions and other basic social amenities.
One would think they committed some offence in history to have been so neglected and consigned to disregard. It is such a monumental aberration.
But Edevbie offers hope. For the first time, we are seeing an aspirant that is putting the development of the riverine areas as a cardinal agenda in his manifesto and he does by demonstrating a deep knowledge of the areas, understanding of the development challenges and realistic plans to solving them.
It is an indication that if given the mandate as successor to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, he is positively determined to rewrite the story of Delta riverine communities and bring them out of the pain and agony of selective uninclusion, disproportionate and denied opportunities from lopsided concentration in developments in upland areas, devastating ecological problems from oil and gas exploration and many more.
It must be known that the riverine communities are about 50% of the landmass and population of the state and the state cannot be said to be developing when such area is untouched.
It must also be known that a larger percentage of residents of the cities are from either the riverine or rural communities and all well meaning Deltans should be prepared to support the bridging of the artificial gap in development created by humans.
By so doing, we can feel a sense of oneness even in our cultural diversity and linguistic differences.
I therefore make a passionate clarion call on the power brokers from the riverine areas in Delta State, to go back to the drawing board, redesign the latitudinal lines and contours in the territorial waters and ensure that delegates of the PDP to the May 21 primary produce for us Ologorun David EDEVBIE, for it is only in him that the rivers people can find hope of a new, better life.
(ATAMEYO, a Deltan from Iyede-Ame writes from Ozoro.)
In the Vanguard Newspaper Viewpoint features published on December 7, 2020, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Special Assistant on Media, Nobert Chiazor, by the approval of Governor Okowa himself, revealed the following about David Edevbie:
“Ever courteous and self-respecting, he is not given to vulgarity or imprudent crudity that are common mannerisms of most political office holders in Nigeria. Far from a stormy petrel, Edevbie is neither a die-hard troublesome politician nor a bullish power monger. He acts more like a genial player, a gentleman in government.
“An affable image refined by disciplined parental nurture and cultured British peculiarity, Edevbie made a dramatic entry into Nigeria’s political space in 1999 when he flew home to assume office as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, (and) by the time his tour of duty ended in 2003, he had transformed a lethargic civil service from a slow outmoded bureaucracy weighed down by dusty files into a vibrant technological- savvy, computerized institution, leveraged by speedy and efficient operations in fiscal management.
David Edevbie
“His pedigree propelled him to national reckoning when he received an invitation to be the Director of Finance and Strategy in the campaign of the then PDP presidential candidate, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua now late. He was later appointed Principal Secretary when Yar’Adua was elected president in 2007, serving until April 2010 after the death of the head of state, to establish his consulting firm, Avantgarde, reputed with tested portfolio in Power, Oil & Gas, Mining, Health, Telecommunication, Financial Markets and Hotels.
“He returned to mainstream politics in 2014 and became a principal actor in Delta PDP gubernatorial race, conceding to Okowa who emerged flag bearer on December 8 primary and ultimately, governor on May 29, 2015.
“Political tolerance and love of Delta would bring both men together in power as Edevbie became Commissioner of Finance again after his 1999 debut and got appointed Chief of Staff to Okowa in his second tenure as Governor.
“Okowa’s accommodating nature and gentle spirit had coalesced with Edevbie’s civilized nurture and competence to helm in the stronger hold, a new Delta, driven by a policy thrust named SMART Agenda.
“Edevbie as Chief of Staff has so far done his bit coordinating key policies and activities of government appointees with matchless focus and fastidious diligence, befitting of his standard management orientation.
“Together, the Chief of Staff and the Governor are working in the seamless mix to address the challenges of an enchanting but complex state, under a precarious economy influenced by the global meltdown of recession and the phenomenon of a novel pandemic.
“The Edevbie model – power with purpose and responsibility represents the indomitable spirit of youth and the enduring value of the dignity of man.”
These words issued from the Government House, Asaba, by the approval of Governor Okowa himself, truly depicts Edevbie’s essence.
Today, Edevbie is gunning for the Governorship of the same Delta State in which he had supported various administrations to succeed.
The powers that be have severally acknowledged that he is the best.
Delegates of the PDP across the length and breath of the state also acknowledge that Edevbie is the best and they all feel it only makes sense to let the best do the job.
It will therefore be a humungous disservice to Deltans, in fact, a mortgage of the state to nothingness, for our affable Governor Okowa and the respected leaders and elders of the PDP to, for whatever sentiments, grievances or guise, settle for less and deny the people of the opportunity of having their best as the next Governor.
Let good reason, good conscience, love for the state and commitment to a better future for Deltans be the single guide in this matter.
We believe, deep in his heart, Governor Okowa knows this is the best path to follow and would be kind to Deltans to give them the best. We believe he would reject all such suggestions of grievance and malice being falsely attributed to him by those who insist on propagating disaffection, disharmony and disunity within the PDP and among ethnic groups for their selfish interest.
We believe that, with his well known wisdom and love for his state, Governor Okowa will settle for only the best, and the best, he knows, is David Edevbie.
He holds the chieftaincy title of Asiwaju of Lagos after the late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan so honoured him when he was serving as the governor of the state.
But last week, at the opening ceremony of Dangote Fertilizer Plant at Lekki, Africa’s biggest industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote elevated the title to the Asiwaju of Nigeria.
Bola Tinubu
Asiwaju means a worthy leader and exactly that is who Tinubu is.
Tinubu led others in academics at Chicago State University, Illinois, Chicago, United States of America. He is the second most notable student the university has produced. That’s a university that has been in existence since 1867.
Tinubu left for Nigeria and became an Auditor at Mobil Oil Producing Unlimited. He wandered why a big oil company as Mobil was operating its headquarters in a rented apartment and so he set out to establish a befitting head office for the company and in record time, he got it done and the company moved to its own building at Victoria Island, Lagos.
Tinubu brought a lot of innovation into the financial operations of the international oil company that he was elevated to the exalted office of the Treasurer.
That is a worthy leader, you would all agree with me.
Tinubu and Wife, Oluremi Tinubu
Tinubu left this well paid job to venture into politics because he was convinced that he has to use his God given abilities to develop the general society. The pressure from his bosses and colleagues was enormous but a worthy leader must be decisive.
He joined politics and became the youngest elected Senator and one with the highest number of votes all over Nigeria under the defunct Social Democratic Party.
Tinubu was primed to be crowned the President of the Senate until late MKO Abiola became a possible choice to fly the party’s presidential ticket.
Tinubu knew that a worthy leader must be ready to make sacrifice and so, he stepped down so that Abiola’s chance of winning the party’s ticket would not be jeopardized since both are from South West. Rather than insist on becoming the Senate President, he followed Abiola loyally so that his aspiration could be fulfilled.
When the military annulled Abiola’s electoral victory, Mobil Oil wanted Tinubu back but Asiwaju wanted to lead the fight against the injustice with other leaders mostly the older ones. He put his life on the line.
He was a target of the military because he was a major financier of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, a group that had become a bone it the narrow throat of the military junta.
Bola Tinubu
And as they say, a good warrior must know when to launch an attack and when to withdraw. Tinubu knew this and he knew that he would only be able continue the struggle if he remained alive. He left his comfort zone and found his way to neighbouring Benin Republic from where he later moved to America.
If that’s not an attribute of a worthy leader, then what is?
When the military eventually left, Tinubu contested and won the Lagos state gubernatorial election defeating Dapo Sarumi of PDP. Asiwaju was the candidate of Alliance for Democracy, AD.
Tinubu wasted no time in turning around the fortunes of Lagos state by forming a cabinet of very capable hands and brains.
The finances of the state took a leap unprecedented in any part of this country when he moved the internally generated revenue from around N600m a month to N8b.
Tinubu did not hide from the fact that development of the state had to be catalyzed and so he created new local government adminstrative centres across the length and breadth of the state.
From 20 local government areas, he created 37 new local council development areas to bring government closer to the people and to hasten it.
Federal government under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo would not hear anything of such. Allocations meant for the local government were withheld. The state government instead of crying all over the place, took the right and legitimate step by approaching the court.
Lagos state government won at the Supreme Court but the funds were still not released.
What would a worthy leader do?
Tinubu was already making money for the state and so he was able to continue his developmental projects without owing civil servants salaries.
Again, while most other second term governors were struggling to become Senators, Tinubu was again ready to sacrifice for the continued growth and development of the state by supporting the candidacy of Fashola by putting aside his own ambition.
In 2014, Nigerians were tired of PDP misrule but there was no viable opposition with the national spread enough to wrestle power from them.
Tinubu approached General Muhammadu Buhari, a man who had earlier contested three times but failed to win and who had vowed not to run again.
Tinubu ensured that no ACN elements in the new APC contested the party’s ticket with GMB.
Today, the rest is history.
Give me a definition of a worthy leader and I will present to you today’s celebrant, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Jagaban Borgu and Asiwaju of Nigeria.
As more women are been celebrated around the World to commemorate the World International Women’s Day, President of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Rebisi Kingdom, Sofiri Gladstone-Dappa PHF, says the Rotary International 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a defining moment in the history of Rotary.
President of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Rebisi Kingdom, Sofiri Gladstone-Dappa PHF, said this during the presentation of a lecture titled “The Emerging Women in Rotary” at an event organize by the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City to mark the World International Women’s Day in Port Harcourt.
Sofiri Gladstone-Dappa said “I believe that the addition of women represents the single greatest force for Rotary growth since the chartering of the first international club in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1912. Not only have women added to our membership growth, but they’ve helped inject new life into Rotary clubs through their ideas and enthusiasm.”
The Rotarian President while recounting the History of how Women emerged in Rotary said the vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over the Rotary world to allow the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and several close votes at previous Council meetings.
“The response to the decision was overwhelming: By June 1990, the number of female Rotarians had skyrocketed to over 20,000. The number of women members worldwide reached 195,000 in July 2010 (about 16% of Rotarians) and surpassed 277,000 in July 2020 (about 23%). In our district, 9141 and country at large, we have had amazing and inspiring women trailblazing and pace setting both in Rotary and Beyond, we have Rotary Ambassador Ijeoma Pearl Okoro, a past district governor, she was named among the five Rotary Women in the World leading the fight to end Polio Worldwide. And so many others”, he recounted
Sofiri Gladstone-Dappa while advocating for more women in Rotary, said “As we consciously await the new Rotary Year with a Woman as our president for the very first time, there must be a progressive and positive appraisal of the women folk especially in the new dispensation that is fast unfolding in Rotary today. They must shake their selves off the shackles of intimidation. To my male colleagues too, we must accept that women are active agents of progress and development; hence, we must do everything possible to help enhance leadership potentials and be the true change agents they are. Get more women involved in the business of Rotary, numbers are very important in decision making’’.
On her part, the President of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City, Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie said “Providing leadership opportunities to women has been a recurring theme for the Rotary International District 9141 Governor, Andy Uwejeyan, who included women wherever possible as he assembled his committees and task forces for this Rotary year 2021-2022. She said the advancement of women within Rotary, based on their abilities, will do much to assist in the recruitment of more women by the clubs.
“Women make up half of the world’s population, and an organization that strives to benefit all of humanity should mirror that fact, Rotarian Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie said.
Highlight of the event includes birthday celebration of the Past President and first female President of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Garden City, Tonye Nria-Dappa. A renowned Journalist who has a breaking record of sponsoring over fifty percent women membership in the club.
The Movement for Stronger Delta, MSD, is quite surprised and a bit disappointed that since the uncharacteristic outburst of Chief James Ibori, on March 20, 2022 when Chief Ighoyota Amori flagged off his Delta Central Senatorial campaign, many Deltans have erroneously directed his admonitions and remonstrations at the wrong quarters and for the wrong reasons.
Deltans will concur that there has been a deliberately devious, diversionary, and counterproductive concerted effort to pitch Governor Ifeanyi Okowa against Chief James Ibori, since the 2023 succession campaign commenced with intensity in Delta State. But we are happy to note that all the efforts failed woefully and came crumbling down in one huge heap, when Ekwueme declared clearly and unequivocally to Deltans, that the PDP will conduct free and fair primaries to elect candidates that will fly the Party’s flag in the 2023 general elections.
Ibori / MSD Msd
We were therefore not particularly surprised, when some irresponsible, unscrupulous, and undesirable elements, attempted to once again, misconstrue and misdirect Chief Ibori’s remonstrations in the direction of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, instead of placing it squarely at the feet of Delta Central political leaders and stakeholders, to whom it is clearly and unambiguously meant for.
Chief James Ibori, is arguably one of the most iconic political figures to have straddled the boisterous, tempestuous, unpredictable, intriguing, and sometimes unfortunately combustible political firmament of post-modern Nigeria political space.
Odidigboigbo, as he is fondly addressed, carries the complete onomatopoeic essence and relevance of the title on his persona; flamboyant, charismatic, rambunctious, audacious, and the larger than life imperial authority of a true godfather.
His mystique often assumes mythical propensities and even in demobilized incarceration and uncharacteristic immobility, his aura akin to that of a filial poltergeist, radiated like the apparition of a shackled denizen, hovering and illuminating the ambiance of his political kingdom, with incandescent kindle.
Chief James onanefe Ibori
Years of humbling sojourn in a stranger’s penitentiary has done absolutely nothing to diminish Ibori’s electrifying presence and charismatic fervour, which has neither waned nor weakened even in the sad realization of his circumscribed vicissitudes and the frugality of existential restrictions.
But if the honest truth be told, it is quite difficult to imagine how the essence of Chief James Ibori will ever disintegrate or how the stolid presence of Odidigboigbo will ever be vaporized or even pulverized, in the political firmament of Delta State and especially that of Delta Central and Urhobo land. It is simply unthinkable.
It is against this sharp backdrop, therefore, that the Movement for Stronger, MSD, is trying to understand and situate the emerging imagery of the great Odidigboigbo himself, especially after his impassioned remonstrations, at Chief Amori’s Country Home in Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Sunday, March 20, 2022, where he raised the alarm over an alleged gang up to disgrace him right inside his own Delta Central homestead, in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
Chief Ibori, who spoke when he declared support for the Delta Central Senatorial bid of Chief Ighoyota Amori, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 2023, said: “I am behind and I will support Senator Ighoyota Amori every step of the way. And anybody, anyone conspiring, anybody that thinks that because I am now a former Governor they want to conspire to disgrace me, God will disgrace all of them.
Chief James Onanefe Ibori
“This is not issue of money. ALL MOTHERS SHOULD CALL THEIR CHILDREN TO ORDER.
“This is my Senatorial District. I am a stakeholder in this party (PDP) and I am a stakeholder in Urhobo. This is my place of birth. I am with Senator Amori all the way.
“I want to assure that if you give Senator Amori your support, he will not disappoint you. I want to guarantee you that Senator Amori will perform beyond expectation because we know his capacity, we know his reach, he has contact and knows how to use it and that seat befits Amori.
“So let support him. Please, join hands with me. Support him to go to the Senate. I know that some of you from your various houses will probably be thinking. Please have a rethink, I am begging of you.
“Ibori is begging you and you are refusing? Please, support me to send Senator Ighoyota Amori to the Senate.
I want to say it again that this senatorial race, this Senator Amori’s bid is my bid. Please join hands with me and join hands with Senator Amori to go to the Senate.”
Now, let us place this homily in its proper perspective, for a clearer understanding and appreciation of its direction and implications.
For starters, there is no major Political figure, particularly in Delta Central (as indeed across the three Senatorial zones of the State), with the notable exception of Chief Great Ogboru of course, whose political growth and relevance was not mentored or influenced by Chief James Ibori, in the last two decades.
He is the political god of Urhoboland and his name is still gold dust when dropped deliberately or mentioned in reverential reference, by those seeking political office in the State. Odidigboigbo is an invincible colossus and the mere prospect of engaging anyone identified, either real or imagined, as one of his minions or proteges, is sufficient to completely discourage and terminate any further intent to contest.
But somewhat unexpectedly and quite inexplicably, Ibori influence and essence appears, at least in the last two election cycles, not only to be beginning to fray at the seams, but gradually and steadily eroding the substance of his hitherto impregnable political core, especially in his beloved Delta Central.
And there is no better and more revealing situation where this glaring example of the diminishing of his influence has been felt, than in the Delta Central Senatorial contest. What has been playing out quite surreptitiously, is the unfortunate dilemma of a leader and godfather, who has the onerous task and unenviable responsibility of managing his stubborn political sons and daughters, whose ambitions for elective office rose to the fire while he was incacerated, as a critical appraisal will reveal.
In 2014 for example, Ovie Omo Agege, one of Chief Ibori’s political godsons, took a shot at the Delta Central Senatorial seat under the Labour Party, after a woefully dismal performance in the PDP guber primary, which he really had no business participating in.
He was roundly and comprehensively defeated at the polls by Chief Ighoyota Amori (Odidimadi of Africa), another of Ibori’s political mentees and one would have expected naturally, that as two scions from the same political family, the matter would have been rested there and then. But, then, Chief Ibori, not wanting to be seen to take sides between his two political ‘children’, deliberately looked the other way, when Omo-Agege decided to test Amori’s victory in court. The rest, as they say, is now history and Ogidigboigo’s mystique remained intact and unblemished.
The same scenario replicated itself in the 2019 Delta Central Senatorial tussle in the PDP, when Rt. Hon. Evelyn Omavowan Oboro, often regarded as first amongst equals (right from her days as Evelyn Akpajoh), in an impressive list of Chief Ibori’s political god-daughters, which includes Faith Majemite and, decided to move up the ladder to the Senate, after two robust and impressive terms as member representing Okpe, Uvwie and Sapele Federal Constituency, in the House of Representatives.
Again, her opponent in the primary was the same Odidimadi of Africa, Chief Ighoyota Amori and once again Ibori, confronted with the dilemma of taking sides, feigned neutrality as unvanquished ghosts from the primary and run up to the tempestuous 2015 guber election, amongst other considerations, became deciding factors and Odidimadi lost out again, without much sympathy it must be noted.
However, the general election between Rt. Hon. Oboro and incumbent Senator Omo-Agege, both Ibori’s mentees, was always going to be a no brainier for the amazon from Uvwie and with rife allegations of anti-party accusations against some of the top figures in Delta Central PDP, it was not quite suprising that APC and Omo-Agege returned to the Senate, where he was later to emerge as Deputy Senate President, which, according to discerning analysts, has added even greater spice, essence and intrigue to the mystique of Odidigboigbo in Delta Central, as 2023 approaches.
There is even the exciting political permutation that Chief Ibori will play the admirable role of elder and statesman and allow the gladiators slug it out on their own mettle and strength, if eventually the PDP settles for one of his first generation godsons, particular from Delta Central, as its guber flagbearer. But that is a story for another day.
Chief James Ibori has no doubt managed and navigated the politics of Delta Central with deft, supremely astute and incomparable strategic brinkmanship, like a master ventriloquist. His reading of the political pulse of the zone is unerringly accurate and he always knows when to make the right comments with the right amount and appropriate dosage of emotion, sentiments, remonstrations and even warnings.
Those who take umbrage at the fact that he has come out so vociferously and with unIbori-like public endorsement of Chief Amori, do not really understand the clinical political calculation of that with DSP Omo-Agege overwhelming tipped to become the guber flagbearer of the APC either by cabal or self imposition, there is really no one else, amongst all those who have indicated their intentions to contest the Delta Central Senatorial seat with Chief Amori, that can be regarded as a first generation grandson or daughter of Odidigboigo.
And so there will be no guilt complex or even filial dilemma in openly throwing his full weight, with his full chest behind Odidimadi.
Which is why his very direct remonstrations, couched in choice phrases like: “All mothers should call their children to order….”This is my Senatorial District. I am a stakeholder in this party (PDP) and I am a stakeholder in Urhobo. This is my place of birth. I am with Senator Amori all the way….”Please, join hands with me. Support him to go to the Senate. I know that some of you from your various houses will probably be thinking. Please have a rethink, I am begging of you…and “Ibori is begging you and you are refusing? Please, support me to send Senator Ighoyota Amori to the Senate….”I want to say it again that this senatorial race, this Senator Amori’s bid is my bid…” are very instructive, poignant and unequivocal.
And that is why his opening statement on that fateful day, Sunday, March 20, viz: “I am behind and I will support Senator Ighoyota Amori every step of the way. And anybody, anyone conspiring, anybody that thinks that because I am now a former Governor they want to conspire to disgrace me, God will disgrace all of them”, resonates loudly and with clear and present understanding, to those it is meant for and they know themselves.
The political class of Delta Central, particularly in Delta PDP, should now look themselves in the eye, tell themselves the home truth and decide by themselves, what they want to do in the 2023 Senatorial election. They should not shift the responsibility to any one else, for as the Delta saying goes: “Na Dem hold the yam and na Dem hold the knife…”
That indeed, is the SIMPLE Agenda of the remonstrations of Chief James Ibori, the Odidigboigbo of the Universe.
Crossroads simply means “a point at which a crucial decision must be made which will have far-reaching consequences.”
That, aptly, is what Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the chieftains and delegates of the PDP shall be doing come May 21 at which they will nominate the PDP flag bearer for the Delta 2023 Gubernatorial election.
The aspirants represent different directions and implications for the state and its future.
One issue at stake is the manner of power rotation. The Ijaws contend that it should be done on the basis of ethnicity and they feel they should take the next turn. They are presenting Dr. Braduce Amakazi Angozi, Senator James Manager and Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, the Deputy Governor.
The other side of the argument is rotation by senatorial districts, in which, notwithstanding entries by various aspirants from the three districts in all past primaries, the PDP leadership and elders have insisted on and have successfully managed the first circle of rotation across the three districts.
For many, rotation by districts seems easier and more manageable. They argue that a disruption of the process by descent to ethnicity would create an intractable confusion of claims by the multiplicity of ethnic, tribal and dialect groups across the state, with potentially negative consequences on ethnic relations and harmony both now and in the future. Still, the decision has to be made, albeit, carefully weighed.
Insisting on rotation by districts, Delta Central, through its DC-23 front, has pruned down it’s number of candidates, as advised by Governor Okowa and the Urhobo Progress Union, to three, for the party to choose from.
The three – David Edevbie, Kenneth Gbagi and Sheriff Oborevwori – also represent different directions and tendencies for the state.
It has been quite difficult to understand what Gbagi’s campaign is about besides staccato bursts of invectives and threats.
The contention has however been made clearer by Oborevwori whose campaign dwells on his being a local person with “street credibility” as his “main asset.”
Political observers say his allusions are pointed at David Edevbie, seen as cosmopolitan with his impressive educational and professional credentials in development economics and track records of achievements in both the private sector, having worked with top corporations overseas, and in the public sector where he served as three times Delta State Commissioner of Finance, and at the Presidency as Principal Secretary to President Umaru Yar’adua.
Edevbie and Oborevwori’s political personalities and sense of mission are at variance. One represents modernity, the other represents chieftainism.
True to type, Oborevwori was presented at his consultation with the state party executives by Chief Iduh Amadhe, a compendium of oratory and rhetorics. He was former President of Isoko Development Union whose end of tenure witnessed a resurgence of communal crises with brutal bloodbath across the land.
He was also a prominent player when his community experienced devastating power tussles with unrestrained arson over kingship and control of payouts from replete oil installations, which divided his people in sharp enmity and drove many out of town for a long period.
Oborevwori’s campaign is visibly being championed, possibly bankrolled, by the DESOPADEC gang of Michael Diden (Ejele), Chairman; Askia Ogieh, Managing Director; and John Nani, Executive Director Finance and Administration.
All three men are also racing away from DESOPADEC to the National Assembly, with Diden vying for Delta South Senate, Askia for Isoko Federal Constituency House of Representatives seat, and Nani for Delta Central Senate. They possibly have joint reasons for wanting to head off to Abuja.
Only recently, a story made the rounds on Social Media alleging that Diden had been siphoning about N100m monthly from DESOPADEC through companies whose office addresses are traced to him. There have been denials and further insistence on the validity of the story.
It was also reported, in November 2021, that he moved to seize the whole premises of St Malachy Primary School, Sapele, and had his agents to disrupt learning activities over claims that he has bought the land. He reportedly told the police that while he bought the school land from one Ogodo family, he was however not responsible for the removal of the roofs of the buildings.
Askia on the other hand is adjudged, possibly wrongly, by political opponents in his native Isoko land as a guzzling stickler for power and prize. From same community as Chief Amadhe, he was also a prominent player in the crises that devastated his hometown for which he and others kept in exile for a period.
Nani’s mission in the race for the Senate is suspected as calculated to deploy his huge resources from DESOPADEC to counter and bury Senator Ighoyota Amori and Chief James Ibori’s influence in Delta Central to create a new force with Oborevwori.
These are the Generals behind Oborevwori while they have Ifeanyi Eboigbe, Chief Protocol Officer to Governor Okowa, suspected to be their Deputy Governorship designate, as their anchorman to influence the endorsement of Governor Okowa.
They stand against Edevbie for his disposition to modernisation which they fear will raise the mode of governance and disrupt the flow of influence and privileges they enjoy.
Inadvertantly, Iduh Amadhe put it succinctly at Oborevwori’s declaration, that they “want a Governor who when he sees elders will give them kola.”
Deltans know what that means and how it affects the flow of dividends of governance to the real grassroots.
But, to sustain the culture, they are asking Deltans to disregard Edevbie’s superior credentials, huge private and public service experiences and track records, and settle for less quality with “street credibility.”
Truly, Edevbie may jettison some old ways to engender modernisation. On his first arrival as Commissioner of Finance, directly from the Commonwealth Development Corporation where he served as Development Officer for Asia and the Pacific, he disrupted the choatic contract payment system by automating the process such as gave no room for influence peddling.
His insistence on Cash Budgeting to avoid unplanned contract awards and unnecessary state indebtedness, and also on not personally seeing or knowing contractors, except by computerised tracking and verification of their performance, angered old contractors who usually influenced and compromised the system to generate contracts and get paid in spite of the financial shocks on the state but in the process he grew the state finance from N6b in 1999 to N60b in 2003 which enabled the Ibori administration to undertake various capital projects for the then young Delta State.
Also reputed for conceptualising the Presidential Amnesty Programme under President Yar’adua, which has ensured relative peace in the Niger Delta, restored the nation’s oil production capacity and supported hitherto militant youths to acquire employability skills, Edevbie comes with the managerial depth of the likes of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, now DG of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina now of the Africa Development Bank and Peter Obi, an astute financial investment and management expert who modelled skilled governance with Anambra State.
While Nigeria suffered serious external debt burden that hampered development for years, it took Okonjo-Iweala’s brilliance and expertise to achieve full debt clearance and freed Nigeria from the albatross and her template helped the nation to maintain very low debt profile under Presidents Yar’adua and Jonathan.
Having no such calibre of expertise in its team, the present administration has gone on to accumulate even more debts, some secured with the exposure of our national sovereignty.
Had the nation heeded Okonjo-Iweala’s advise on establishing a Sovereign National Fund, perhaps, Nigeria’s present story would have been different, but she was frontally opposed by the “street credible” likes of Adams Oshiomole and Rotimi Amaechi. See where our nation is today: with depleted foreign reserve, more accumulation of debts from China and Europe with a debt servicing strain of over 90% of national revenue and having no fall back position, all with frightening implications for the future.
While Peter Obi left about N75 billion for his successor, Willie Obiano, the new Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, has said Obiano left him a debt of N100 billion and a paltry N300 million cash.
Okonjo-Iweala’s ability to clear Nigeria’s $30 billion external debts and Peter Obi’s ability to leave N75 billion in the treasury for his successor could not have been without superior knowledge, experience and skills in financial management and global economic development networks.
Interestingly, Edevbie shares the same professional background and management capacity with them. On this, Okowa himself had testified to his contributions to the financial development of the state when both of them served under Ibori, between 1999 and 2007, and when Edevbie served him as Commissioner of Finance and Chief of Staff from 2015 to 2021.
Indeed, the differences in the mode, capacity and directions the different aspirants may lead are clear.
Laughable though is when people resist modernity but are regularly on the plane to enjoy modern life overseas. Every society and it’s citizens aim for modernity and one would have expected our “street chieftains” to seek and encourage the modernisation of their home state to achieve the efficiency of governance and quality of life which they often chase overseas, rather than deceiving Deltans to remain in old ways simply for the preservation of their personal privileges.
This is the crux of the matter. Suffice to remind us all, as stated in the beginning: In this eminent transition, our state is at crossroads and whatever decision will have far-reaching consequences in the direction of our state. God help us.
It is getting funny in Delta State. One fellow woke up one morning and declared that Governor Okowa had picked him as his successor.
Then, a reputedly unstable and garrulous Executive Assistant went frenzy with the misinformation.
Next day, another fellow elsewhere declared that Okowa had endorsed another character, not the one for which the EA danced naked.
For days, weeks, they kept overdoing themselves, talking and untalking, shamelessly.
You wonder why the desperation for endorsement? It simply shows that such aspirants are self conscious of the fact that they have nothing to offer.
They therefore resort to praise singing the Governor to curry his favour, employing his aides to manipulate him towards their direction and flying kites to deceive and possibly intimidate the people by giving the impression that the incumbent has assured them of his preparedness to abuse his powers, to undermine the party congress delegates and to compromise the democratic process in their favour.
Interestingly, all sorts of characters who thrive in chaos and the manipulation of the state to feather their nests have been jumping about the place to reinforce the misguided agenda.
Even some elders who should protect the future of the state have donated their garb of hypocritical oratory to enthrone deformity upon the people in expectation of regular state kola. Understandably, that is how they have lived while in the pretext of being community leaders.
Perhaps noticing how the arrogations and disprovals of Okowa’s endorsements tended to damage the image of the party and puncture it’s claims to internal democracy, the PDP moved to issue a rebuttal, saying the Governor has not endorsed anyone and would stick to his pledge on free and fair primaries.
Curiously, the party statement was double-faced. Tongue-in-cheek, it seemed like a rebuttal and at the same time like a confirmation of the same subject, which suggests that the party secretariat might have been compromised under some influence.
Alarmed by it all, majority of top PDP elders, chieftains, community leaders and traditional rulers across the state jerked in disbelief.
They were especially embarrassed as to how Okowa could have made such terrible misjudgment to arrive at such ridiculous choices in the face of far better and available qualities in the race.
But the Governor himself appears even more embarrassed by the false exposure and damage which the tales of his endorsements convey on him.
On one hand, it diminishes his integrity after he had promised a level playing ground for free and fair primaries. On the other hand, the choices present him as mortgaging the interest of quality governance of the state to either please a few of his inordinate aides or to satisfy a malignant personal malice or to install a stooge to ensure his continued unfettered assess to state funds when out of office.
Some even reasoned that Okowa is on an ego trip just to reduce and spite some party leaders and particular sections of the state for mere bravado.
Except if something has gone wrong in some realms, these do do not describe his person.
To control the damage, the State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, has had to call the press to restate Governor Okowa’s neutrality and belief in team work through consultations with party elders and leaders, and also safeguarding the power of the delegates, all matured adults and actual representatives of all the wards of the state, to choose on behalf of Deltans who would best deliver economic, infrastructural and social development of the state.
The disclaimer gives some hope for the future of Delta State. It gives assurance that the Governor and elders are fully conscious of the fact that after all the politics, the real challenge of governance is the capacity to create and manage resources for the development of the state and socio-economic upliftment of the people.
This being not a matter of joke, the task is not for the ordinary simply for their self-preserving loyalty to one or the other leader or high sense of sycophancy. It is not a matter for “Sgt Fallstaff” and the street gang.
In a rapidly evolving, increasingly challenging global economy driven by knowledge, information, technology and networking, today and tomorrow’s leadership requires sober, organised and well articulated persons with hybrid competencies and global reach. Deltans cannot be in doubt nor should they make any mistake about this.
For about seven years now, Nigerians have suffered and continue to suffer the consequences of a certain indiscretion in choosing a leader lacking in knowledge, information, economic management skills and global outlook. The agony of the people increases by the day. The collateral exposure and damage this has left for coming years, even decades, is even worse.
As Winston Churchill once noted, “want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong – these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.”
This is the determination before Okowa and the leaders of Delta PDP.
It is about the future of Delta, its economic development, sustainable growth, stability and social progress.
The question is: “To be or not to be?” and the answer, like the mystic trumpet, is blowing in the wind.
It is left for Okowa, the elders, leaders and delegates to the PDP congress, to eschew sentiments, heed wise counsel and tow the path of good reason and conscience, or choose out of some dark sentiments to conduce the state into ignominy with bomboys.
In the meantime, let’s enjoy the comedy, or tragedy?
Olorogun David Edevbie was emphatic when he declared that, when elected as Governor, he will pay high attention to the development of riverine communities.
“We cannot achieve any meaningful development if we do not pay more attention and devote more resources to opening up, connecting and integrating the riverine communities in our development process,” he reasoned.
“Riverine communities are a great asset to any nation and developing them means developing the nation. They present great values for agriculture, fisheries, transportation, processing industries, commerce and many more.”
Our experience in Delta and many other parts of Nigeria is that the riverine communities have always been left out in development. The situation has presented serious inequity in human and economic development, leaving majority of the people mostly in poverty and low standard of living.
The usual excusd is that, being riverine, the terrain is expensive to develop. The added negative impact is that, being undeveloped, it becomes difficult to draw in infrastructures which also makes it difficult for investors to go in to drive industrialisation which in turn also makes it difficult to create meaningful employment opportunities and platforms for enterprise.
“We need to reverse this outlook. It is true that the riverine area is expensive to develop but we must also recognise that the same riverine areas provide a significant portion of the state and national revenue through their oil and gas deposits, agricultural and marine resources. From whom much is taken, much also should be given.
“The true symbol of any nations civilisation and growth is in the political willingness and ability to develop its riverine and inner communities. Some of the most beautiful cities in the world are in riverine communities. Take Miami, take Tennessee, take Columbia regions in the US, take Venice in Italy. Examples abound. We have the the Third Mainland Bridge and they are planning a Fourth and Fifth Mainland Bridge in Lagos. They are all long bridges over water. Even desert regions like Dubai have also been developed as world centres. It all shows that there is no terrain that cannot be developed. What is required is understanding their value and having the willingness to invest in meeting their needs to integrate them effectively in the development process.
“We must therefore be willing to spend more money to develop and more robustly connect our riverine communities with our upland areas to integrate our development architecture.
“This will enable the penetration of more physical and social infrastructure to make it easy and attractive for investors and industries to go in. This will support greater output in agriculture and fisheries, improve transportation and commercial activities and provide opportunities for jobs and wealth creation in the area.
“We recognised this early in Chief James Ibori’s administration and that led to the construction of the Omadino, Bomadi and Aboh bridges. Before then, many of the riverine communities were terribly cut off and it looked like they were not part of our world. With those bridges, there has been fair measure of connection.
“Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has built on that and contributed fairly in connecting some of the communities, but so much more still needs to be done. Life in the riverine communities is still a far cry from what it should be.”
Edevbie has it all mapped out with a huge plan to provide a coastal road connecting Oko to Abala area in Delta North and linking it up to Patani in Delta South. The plan means providing another major artery of connection and development in Delta State.
Added to the major coastal road is the need to also provide a network of roads linking the hundreds of inner communities in the riverine areas while also improving on river navigation and transportation. This is included in the plan.
His plans also include deliberate action to reactivate operations in Warri port and revamp the Koko and Burutu ports.
It is indeed a tragedy that these ports have been allowed to wallow in inactivity or under capacity utilisation and Edevbie says deliberate action would be taken through partnership with the private sector and negotiations with the Federal Government and various marine authorities to bring these ports back to life.
Before now, the Federal Government saw reasons to invest in the development of river basins and we had Niger-Delta and Benin-Owena as part of the 19 River Basin development authorities.
At last, it has been see that the intention was not actually to develop the areas in terms of infrastructure but only mostly to exploit the water resources of the regions to improve on agricultural output during the great drought in the Sahel region. Today, the river basin authorities are no longer functioning.
We must therefore take our destiny in our hands in recognition that it is our duty to develop our own space, to provide and equip our people with the necessary capacity to widen their horizon and elevate their standard of living through access to roads, greater interaction and exchange with wider world and opportunities for greater enterprise, industrialisation, power supply, commerce, access to new technologies, digitisation and employment opportunities.
This is why the Edevbie agenda for the development of the riverine areas of Delta State is profoundly imperative.
