Your allegations against Gov. Oborevwori baseless, Clark tells Nwoko

…urges the Gov not to be distracted

By Tunde Opalana

Frontline Ijaw nationalist and leader of the Pan- Niger Delta Development Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark has punctured alleged attacks by Senator Ned Nwoko on the governance of the Delta State governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

Chief Clark in an open letter dated Friday 17th January, 2025 made available to the media Saturday described allegations of partial and selective development of parts of Delta State made by the lawmaker as “fake and baseless”.

Inferring from an interview granted by Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Delta State, Charles Aniagwu on a television programme Friday morning,the first republic Information minister stated that no past governor of Delta State achieved so much within such short period as Sheriff Oborevwori has done since he assumed office less than two years ago.

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According to him, Warri is fast becoming one of the commercial nerve centres in Nigeria with Julius Berger Construction Company undertaking most of the critical jobs.

He said “since 29th May, 2023, the famous Warri Township is fast becoming a sight to behold, turning to its old self. I can say this for free as a Warri boy since the 1950s. Warri Township is a lively town, but was reduced to a shadow of itself.

“Today. Asaba, together with the parts of the old Asaba Division, is booming because Asaba is the State capital.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has done wonders in development, enhancing democracy in Delta State. He is giving Warri a face lift.

“The wonder company, Julius Berger is performing wonders, with a contract to build three flyovers, cloverleaf, pedestrian bridges, ancillary road expansion beginning from the DSC Roundabout, valued at a cost of 78 billion naira awarded to them and a good percentage payment made.

“I recall when most Nigerians, including myself, admired the work which Nyesom Wike used the company to do in Rivers State when he was Governor of the State. The Enerhen Road Junction which was seen as a death trap, is being worked and will be safe for commuters as a result of the flyover, when completed.”

Chief. Clark asserted that previous governments abandoned Warri, whilst spending good chunk of the state revenue in the Delta north area, to the extent of tarring roads into unused bushes for future use, neglecting highly densely populated commercial areas. “Hamlets became cities, and cities became hamlets, without a single tarred road, pipe borne water. Warri and Uvwie are examples.

“Today, the story is different. All most all parts of the State are feeling the impact of Governor Oborevwori’s developments. I am informed that work has commenced on the Asaba/Ughelli road which was abandoned for over ten years. There are also several other developments.

“Everybody knows that I am not a praise singer. I say things the way they are.
The Sheriff Oborevwori government has been able to pay off a debt of over N300 billion naira incurred by the previous government

“I am, therefore, surprised and shocked to read and hear the complaints of Distinguished Senator Ned Nwoko, that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is doing nothing. This is not correct. I challenge Sen. Nwoko to fault my assertion on these developments.

“I can only say that rather than sharing the states resources as political patronage, the Governor is using it to impact on the people positively.”

He urged Governor Oborevwori, not to be distracted, but to continue the good works; whilst also pleading/calling on him not to forget the Ayakromo Bridge, the Gberegolor/Esama Bridge which is being constructed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in the area of making the State’s contribution.

He added that the Ijaw areas have been sorely neglected as the only significant project carried by the various governments is the Kpakiama Bomodi Bridge.

“Also, to consider setting up a tertiary institution in the Ijaw area, as it seems to be the only area left out. The Burutu Maritime Academy has been in existent much earlier than most of the Polytechnics and Colleges of education in the State.

“But today, most of these institutions have been converted to universities, except Burutu Maritime Academy. Sadly, also, the only Technical College that was being built in the Ijaw area, has been abandoned more than eight years now. When Archbishop Hyacinth Ogbebor of the Bomodi Catholic Diocese raised the issue, the response of the immediate past government of the State was that there was no fund. Is it not ironic that there will not be money to develop projects in areas which contribute revenue to the State, but there is money to develop other areas which do not contribute half as much.

” I want to emphasis that I am a proud Nigerian and a proud Ijaw man; therefore, I will not accept any form of neglect,” he added.