Former Delta State governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has said elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark was not aware of the development strides in the state.
Clark, a former minister for information, was also advised not to be known as a father that always pull-down former governors when they leave office.
He stated this yesterday in Asaba while reacting to Clark’s revelation that he wasted the state’s resources on Atiku Abubakr’s election, embezzled the state 13 per cent derivation fund and should equally account for the trillions of money wasted.
Represented by his spokesman, Mr Olisah Ifeajika, he said he was worried that Clark kept revisiting issues that have been addressed over and over, getting wrong figures instead of supporting those in authority to build the state during and after the tenures of the state governors.
While saying it has become a norm for Clark to start pulling down former governors once they leave office, he said the action is unsavoury and unsalutary especially to Okowa who was said to have performed superlatively.
On the issue of N150 billion, he said it was not a loan but a bridging finance meant for oil producing states, not directly from FAC or derivation as alleged by Clark while he said the state assembly approves the budget of DESOPADEC.
“The money is N270 billion, the federal government agreed to pay installmentally in five years. Delta after getting clearance from the state assembly, used its own to defray pension arrears close to N60 billion and other projects. Instead of waiting for five years to assess the money, the state went to borrow N91 billion.”
On the aspect of betrayal during the last general election, he said Okowa accepted to be running mate to Atiku Abubakar based on the PDP committee’s report that threw the competition open especially when a mediocre candidate was coming up to compete with APC candidates.
“There was no opposition to anybody including Clark. Even after the party primary and Atiku picked Okowa, there was no opposition to Okowa’s choice from anybody. Okowa has said he does not own a bank. Surprisingly the matter is still coming up. Clark does not own Delta State to start demanding for explanation,” he stated.
We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
