Furore in Delta as Okowa reshuffles cabinet 

Determined to assert his position and weigh the sledge hammer, Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa may have taken steps to weed out some of his aides.

 Strong indications are that Dr. Okowa had been making consultations in the past two months of his decision to reshuffle his cabinet, especially with the alleged shoddy performances of some of the state ministries’ commissioners who after his assessment sheet found them to have abysmally fell short of expectations.

 With pervasive spread of the governor’s alleged failure to deliver the dividends of democracy and his much talked about “Prosperity for all Deltans” in near two years of his administration, our informed sources said Okowa’s moves to reshuffle his cabinet is to correct the imbalance among his political appointees.

 It was reliably gathered that the governor’s consultation with a view to taking wise decision, had been made known to his “Political Master”, former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori in faraway London where he is currently serving jail terms and had also given a go ahead to the decision.

 While Chief Ibori allegedly remains the mainstay of Okowa led administration, sources said the governor cannot do anything without consulting with him and taking orders from him.

 Expectedly, political watchers say the cabinet reshuffle moves had long been overdue as some of the governor’s aides are allegedly abrasive politicians who had failed in their political careers.

 It was further gathered that the governor had been severally embarrassed by negative conducts of some of his aides visa-vis their disposition to his “SMART AGENDA, in most cases, they are seen as “dead woods”.

 Government House sources said that those likely to be dropped include the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. (Mrs.) Mary Iyashere, Works, Chief James Augoye, Environment, Barr. John Nani, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Austin Chiekezie. Although further indications are that Mr. Austin Chiekezie and Chief James Augoye of the works and Agriculture and Natural Resources be left for the sake of their sponsors, but the governor allegedly insisted that their performances have not been encouraging.

 Noting that Governor Okowa may have bowed to political pressures, PDP Chieftain in Asaba who did not want his name in the print, said: “Okowa has not been performing, so there is pressure on him to drop many of his aides and bring in new ones to get the thicket for 2019”.

 Instructively, Mr. Austin Chiekezie of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Ministry was reportedly sponsored by member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal House of Representatives, Mrs. Joan Mrakpor who is believed to be heavy weight in Okowa’s administration.

 Mrs. Mrakpor is said to have nominated Mr. Chiekezie and allegedly imposed him on the governor who sources said, has a lot of respect for her against all odds in Aniocha South constituency where Chiekezie reportedly hails from.

 As it were, there is alleged power tussle in Aniocha South constituency at the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) level where the said Mrs. Mrakpor holds sway to be leader and a decision maker.

 This, our informed sources said had given vent to unpopular and unilateral decision of the federal lawmaker who many politicians “dread as sacred cow”. Mrs. Mrakpor was also said to have nominated and allegedly imposed the husband, the current Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Peter Mrakpor on the Governor after she had allegedly told those who opposed her decision that Okowa led administration has respects for her decision.

 While the decision by the governor to throw out Mrs. Mrakpor’s “Political son” might be difficult, sources said the governor had made up his mind to append his signature on the already prepared lists of his aides to be dropped. Investigation revealed that the lists are awaiting the governor’s signature and the bombshell might be dropped any moment.

 Among other things, is the governor’s decision to drop forty-six of his aides out of almost four hundred (400) (SSAS, SAS) following the deteriorating economic and inability to meet the state one hundred percent demands.

 Only last Monday, the governor was alleged to have been angry with negative complaints about the environment commissioner, Barr. John Nani, especially with the current stinking environments across the state.

 With Asaba, its environs, and other parts of the state littered with refuse dumps, sources said John Nani is regarded as “a cog in the wheel of progress” and as such not fit to be commissioner in Okowa’s administration.

 Decision makers such as Hilary Ibegbulem, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Economic Planning Commissioner, Dr. Kingsley Emu have allegedly been pressing for the removal of the Information Commissioner, Mr. Patrick Ukah who is described to be too high handed, hostile and unfriendly to journalists thus culminating in many of the negative reports against the governor.

 Hilary Igbegbulem and Dr. Kingsley Emu are most powerful decision makers in Okowa-led administration and are also Ika speaking persons who the Governor respects their views. But in a swift reaction, Mr. Patrick Ukah described the allegation against him as untrue, saying that as information manager of the state, he is the altar ego of the state” with all the journalists. Unconfirmed sources said Patrick Ukah, a native of Okpanam Community, near Asaba, was sponsored by his “Political god father; Senator Peter Nwaoboshi presently representing Delta North Senatorial District at the senate. Ukah is believed to be “sacred cow” even though he is not a professional journalist that cannot be dropped.

In a press release issued by Opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), signed by SDP Chairman, Mr. Oke Iduwene, a copy made available to our reporter, chided Governor Okowa proposed school fees’ increase, stating that the opposition parties will join the entire students in the state to vehemently condemn in totality the proposed increase.

 The Governor had last month proposed an increase of school fees across the tertiary institutions in the state, a decision that has been generating criticism from parents/guardians in the last two weeks. Part of the statement reads: “It is gross insensitivity by the Delta State government, cruel and evil at the time where over 70% of students are indigent students, where parents find it difficult to feed homes let alone pay the current rate of school fees of their wards, SDP has taken a position that Okowa lacks the capacity to lead Delta State”.

 While the statement alleged that Governor Okowa’s financial support for the Edo PDP Governorship Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, would have been enough to do some projects in the state, it further alleged that the Governor had in recent times embarked on an unnecessary trips abroad at the detriment of Deltans.

 The statement further said: “Gov. Okowa has proposed to increase the fees as follows: All colleges of education increment of N10, 000, All Polytechnics N20, 000 and N25, 000 to the University, we say capital No to this barbaric plan. We shall mobilize all Delta State students to resist it, including parents”. But efforts made to get reaction and comments from the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Charles Aniagwu failed as he refused to pick his calls and reply text messages sent to his GSM line.

 Also, the State Commissioner for Information could not be reached as several calls to his GSM line were not returned. But a Senior Civil Servant in Government House who did not want his name in the print, confirmed that the file containing lists of those to be dropped was ready awaiting the governor’s signature. He said; “I can confirm authoritatively to you that the governor is set to do the needful and drop some of his aides for lack of performance”.