Delta Lawmaker Shortchanged In Okowa Car Largesse Cries Out

A member of House of Representatives representing Ughelli North/South/Udu federal constituency of Delta State, Hon. (Rev.) Francis Ejiroghene Waive, has written the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, asking for his operational vehicle as given other federal lawmakers from the State.

Rev. Waive, a fierce preacher of morality turned politician, in a letter addressed to Governor Okowa, dated December 19, 2022 and received at the office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor on December 20, 2022, begged the governor to consider him as one of the beneficiaries of his car gifts to Delta federal lawmakers.

Governor Okowa, following the tradition set by his predecessors to give operational vehicles to federal lawmakers, gave a contract for the purchase and supply of 10 Toyota Land Cruiser Jeeps for the 10 House of Representatives members from the State as operational vehicles.

The contract, which was awarded to Hon. Victor Nwokolo, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ika federal constituency of the State, it was gathered, was paid for in full.

However, while the other nine members of the House of Representatives from the State, including Hon. Ben Igbakpa, who is now a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), got their own vehicles, Hon. Waive’s car was allegedly withheld, and according to sources, the vehicle is parked at the residence of one of the governor’s associates in Abuja.

The vocal lawmaker has revealed that Governor Okowa neither answer his phone calls nor reply his text messages after one month of receipt of his letter on the matter.

In the letter, Rev. Waive lamented that among all the 10 members of the House of Representatives from Delta State, he was the only one yet to receive his Toyota Land Cruiser operational vehicle.

LEADERSHIP reports that Rev. Waive is the only APC member of the House of Representatives from Delta State.

The letter titled, ‘Non-Receipt Of My Car’ reads: “First, let me thank you Sir for your magnanimity in upholding the tradition of our dear State in assisting members of the National Assembly with operational vehicles. In this 9th Assembly, you have been gracious in providing a Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep to all other members of the House of Representatives except myself the Honorable member representing the entire people of Ughelli North Ughelli South Udu Federal Constituency in the House.

“Your Excellency, I believe overzealous Aides are responsible for my exclusion. I bring this to your kind attention so that you can direct a more senior officer to reach me with mine.

“I have called your phone number a couple of times and sent a few text messages without any response. I understand the huge demand on your time first as our Governor and at this crucial time of electioneering campaigns. I thus decided to write hoping that this letter will come to your attention and you will use your good office to ensure I am not shortchanged, oppressed or denied before your very eyes.”

Meanwhile, a PDP House of Reps member, who is a colleague of Rev. Waive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was a usual practice not to give operational cars to members from opposition parties.

When asked why Hon. Igbakpa, an NNPP member was given same vehicle, the lawmaker said: “You and I know that Hon. Ben (Igbakpa) is PDP by heart, he is just in NNPP to use their platform for electoral purposes, if not PDP runs in his vein, but for Waive you don’t empower your enemy.”