By Atevure Princess,
Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, Dr Fred Oghenesivbe has said that Gov Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa-led Delta State Government maintains healthy political and socioeconomic relationships with the leadership of Isoko Development Union (IDU), the apex body of Isoko Nation.
Oghenesivbe in a statement while reacting to the alleged marginalization of the Isokos, said it is not true that the OKowa administration in its 2018 budget short-changed the Isoko Nation, rather the budget was tailored equitably to meet pressing needs across the three Senatorial districts in the state.
The EA Communication posited that Isoko Nation is an integral component of Delta South Senatorial District comprising; Itsekiri, Isoko and Ijaw nations, adding that the 2018 budget which is an improvement on 2017 budget; captured the Delta South Senatorial District in terms of capital projects, human capital development and other socioeconomic projections of government.
“The good people of Isoko Nation are fully aware that the state government and the Governor holds Isoko Nation in high esteem, same for other nations that constitutes Delta State. It is therefore laughable for few politicians in Isoko Nation to want to promote disaffection, unwarranted acrimony and politics of bitterness for no just cause.
“It is also a well known fact that Gov Okowa and this administration maintains healthy relationship with the leadership of Isoko Development Union which is the apex body of Isoko Nation. The IDU has a channel of communication with government, a process that is solid and subsisting making it very easy for government to factor the needs of Isoko Nation into action plan through its elected representatives in the State House of Assembly.
“Yes, the people are entitled to make demands in a constitutional democracy such as ours but the principle of representative government is to the effect that projects to be factored into the annual budget must of a necessity go through elected representatives in the House of Assembly or by way of direct request to the Governor through a responsible and recognised body or association as the case maybe.
“It is unacceptable for a former top government official in the person of Comrade Ovuzorie Macaulay, who served the state as Commissioner and Secretary to the State Government; to ignorantly vent political anger on the governor over an alleged 1% budget for Isoko Nation in the 2018 state budget.
“It is very clear that the .former SSG do not understand the composition of the 2018 budget which is why the governor has offered to explain the facts in issue to royal fathers and by extention other interest groups, at a later date.
“Comrade Ovuzorie Macaulay and his friends are to a large extent playing petty politics with the state budget. Politicians who are strategizing for 2019 elections are strongly advised to engage themselves in grassroots mobilization of the People and political realignment instead of sponsoring half truth, propaganda and politics of bitterness.
“The rising leadership and political profile of Gov Okowa cannot be rubbished through false political alarm, ethnic politics and hate speech. It’s obvious that the opposition party especially the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no grassroots penetration in Delta State; resulting in consistent falsehood and empty propaganda,” Oghenesivbe disclosed.
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