Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has been singled out as the cause of an alleged destruction of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
This is as angry political appointees under the auspices of Concerned Political Appointees’ Forum demanded for Okowa to pay them all outstanding furniture allowances before the March 18 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections in the state.
The appointees vowed to vote against Okowa’s imposed candidate Sheriff Oborevwori if their demand was not met by the governor.
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The group said some political appointees worked against the party due to failure of the governor to pay outstanding furniture allowances of appointees and his desperation and arrogance in handling post party primary crisis in the state.
The statement which titled: “FAILURE TO PAY APPOINTEES’ ALLOWANCES WEAKENED PDP CHANCES”said
“While the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to recover from her lost to the Labour Party in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in Delta State, so many factors contributed to the failure of the Party in her traditional strong hold. It’s true that some party faithful including the State government’s political appointees openly worked for the opposition parties to cost the PDP’s failure in the State.
“The reason amongst others is the failure of the Governor of Delta State to pay up the allowances the Government is owing the appointees. In spite of the money coming to the government coffer, Governor Okowa has chosen to run the State like a family business.
“He selectively paid the furniture allowances of his appointees from the Delta North Senatorial District, especially from Agbor area, while other appointees from the Delta Central and South Senatorial Districts refused to be paid, except some of them who have some closed friends with him to recommend them.”
According to the protesting appointees, the ones he refused to pay their allowances were the ones who worked tirelessly to deliver their units and wards to PD in the state, adding that his brothers and sisters allowances he had cleared were the people who betrayed him.
“The painful thing is that those appointees he refused to pay their allowances stood their ground despite their anger to deliver the Party in their various units but his trusted brothers and sisters from his area disappointed him. The Governor is also owing the appointees with impress in many months. All he cares is that as far as his immediate family is benefitting, he would not care what happened to any other person in the State.
The Forum’s leadership said the opposition parties were ready to offer any amount to woe these neglected appointees to their camps, knowing fully well that most of these political appointees control large scale of voters.
The appointees also warned that except Governor Okowa took urgent steps to pay the furniture allowances of his Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Executive Secretaries and Executive Assistants, the PDP should expect the worst political hurricane in the governorship and state Assembly elections in Delta State.
“Meanwhile, the opposition parties are ready to offer any amount to woe these appointees to their camps, knowing fully well that most of these political appointees control large scale of voters.
Except Governor Okowa take steps to pay the furniture allowances of his Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Executive Secretaries, etc, PDP should expect the worst political hurricane in the governorship election in Delta State.
“Governor Okowa should not expect the political appointees to reject juicy offers from the opposition parties when he refused to pay their allowances.
“If the PDP must win the State then all hands should be on desk to work for the Party which includes paying the political appointees of their entitlements before the elections.
“It’s said that a hungry man is an angry man and no one should expect an angry man to be at peace with the man who made him angry.
“It will be better we rock the boat than to allow the Governor have his way at all times. If Okowa wants his political appointees to go home crying after serving the government for four years then it’ll be better we sink the boat for everybody to cry”, they emphasized.
