By Kobiruo Joseph,

The Isoko Monitoring Group, IMG, has described as an anti-people legislation, the bill passed by the Delta State House of Assembly which seeks to confer the status and retirement benefits of a former governor, on former Acting Governor of the State, Mr Sam Obi. 

The group, in a statement by its President, Dr. Oke Aziakpono and Secretary, Mr. Emumena Michael, urged the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to decline assent to the bill in the interest of the people of Delta State and for posterity sake.

 “Our attention has been drawn to the media report that the Delta State House of Assembly has passed a Bill which seeks to confer on Rt Hon. Dr. Sam Obi who acted as the Acting Governor of the State for less than 90 days in 2011 to be conferred with the status and retirement benefits of a former Governor of the State in addition to the benefits he enjoys as a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

“We wish to formally register our displeasure and embarrassment as Deltans that in such an age and time with the dwindling revenue to the State Government that the leadership of the Delta State House of Assembly can conceive such an anti-people legislation.

“We wish to inform your Excellency that the said bill is not only unpopular with the majority of the people of Delta State but that same is an embarrassment to the entire people of Delta State and waste of tax payers money especially when a State like Zamfara State has seen the light that bogus retirement for public officers are not in the interest of the society.”

The he statement added that, “we wish to also state categorically that in the event of your Excellency contemplating to give assent to the said bill or assenting to it, we shall seek all available legal means to ensure that the said bill does not see the light of the day.”