Politics

2023 Election: Disquiet In Delta As Okowa’s Aides Resign

Published

3 years ago

January 9, 2023

Editor

The resignation of Michael Akpobire, an aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has restarted the discussions about political developments in Delta State ahead of the 2023 election.

The debate is fuelled by the fact that Okowa is the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Atiku Abubakar is the flagbearer.

Akpobire’s letter dated January 5, 2022, was addressed to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

He was the Executive Assistant to Okowa on Technical Education and Chairman of the Technical Education Board.

Akpobire, a PDP chieftain in Enwhe/Okpolo Ward 9 in Isoko South Local Government Area, was formerly President of Delta State University (DELSU) Students’ Union.

In reaction, a Facebook user, Festus Tony urged “all sons and daughters” from Isoko, Urhobo, Kwale, Ijaw, Iteskiri to withdraw from the cabinet.

“That ship will collapse before the end of this month (January). If Comrade Michael Akpobire, we call the first son of Governor Okowa, can be treated badly, who else won’t suffer the same humiliation?

“Micheal suffered for this administration even when we all thought Okowa won’t scale through. They gave him an office that even a million naira allocation don’t come to.

“The wickedness Okowa showed to other ethnic groups in the State is such that none of them left their respective office or position with something tangible.

“It is payback time for Okowa. More resignations are coming. You can’t be more Governor Okowa or PDP than Michael Akpobire. He is one individual who publicly declared first for Okowa’s governorship.

“As an appointee in Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan’s administration, he took the risk to openly declare for Okowa and formed the Canaanland Movement that gathered more than 50,000 votes for the ungrateful Governor.

“Because there is no reward system in PDP, Micheal was turned into an errand boy in Okowa’s administration. People who did not stake their life and political career got juicy positions, built houses and are living large.

“Today, he is leaving the PDP in pains. Comrades should have a deep thought because many in Okowa’s camp are dying in silence. Stand up and liberate yourself from mental slavery.”

Akpobire’s exit from the State government is the latest in a gale of resignations by Okowa’s appointees.

In December, Alaowei Promise Lawuru, popularly known as ‘Master Black’, resigned from his position as Special Assistant on Security.

The former Niger Delta militant hails from Ogbinbiri community in the Warri North Local Government Area of the State.

In October, Okowa’s Senior Special Assistant on Youth Development Patrick Oghenerhoro, a.k.a. Paleke dumped the governor.

He also left the PDP and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) to work for the governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Also in October, Onochie Osheokwu resigned as Senior Special Assistant on Youth Development.

Osheokwu said he was leaving to be fully ‘Obidient’ and support the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

But in an interview with DAILY POST on Sunday, Okowa’s Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika said his principal was not disturbed by the resignations.

“The governor is a good man and cannot stop anybody who wants to leave for other things.

“There are people seeking greener pastures, going to further their education, career or engage in other ventures.

“That two people resigned doesn’t mean there’s a problem. It’s normal, the governor is not worried about it”, the spokesperson added.

Last week, Omo-Agege, the Deputy Senate President, said Delta has received N4.2trillion under the Okowa administration.

The lawmaker also accused the governor of betraying the agitation for Southern presidency despite being one of the arrowheads ab initio. Okowa has denied doing so.

Politics

Obasanjo, Atiku, Obi Meet In Abuja

Published

9 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi met in Abuja on Saturday.

The trio were among prominent political figures who attended the Tambuwal Colloquium, titled “Leadership, Service and Statesmanship at 60,” held at the New Event Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, in honour of the 60th birthday of former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Atiku confirmed his presence at the event in a post on his X handle, stating that he had arrived at the venue for the colloquium organised to mark Tambuwal’s milestone birthday.

The former vice president also shared images of himself, Obasanjo and Obi at the event.

The event attracted political leaders, statesmen and stakeholders from across the country.

Politics

PANDEF Wades Into Rivers Crisis, Sets Up Seven-member Mediation Team

Published

15 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has intervened in the political crisis in Rivers State, calling on all actors to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the development of the state and the region in general.

Expressing concern that the political disagreement involving the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly might degenerate to total lawlessness, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF set up a seven-member reconciliation team to resolve the issues.

The team, which is headed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, has six other members.

They are Senator Obende Domingo (Vice Chairman); Chief Essien Nduese; Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agari; Chief Mike Ejiofor; Mrs Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN; and Prince Godwin Okotie, the Deputy National Secretary of PANDEF, who will serve as the secretary of the team.

Politics

Wike: Why Removing Fubara Will Be Difficult – Ex-Commissioner

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Austin Tam-George, has said that attempts to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara would be difficult to sustain, citing what he described as the governor’s performance record and the lack of concrete allegations against him.

Tam-George made the remarks on Thursday while speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, arguing that the impeachment process being initiated against Fubara was to scuttle his chance for a second term.

According to him, Governor Fubara has continued to place the needs of the people at the centre of his administration, with visible interventions in rural development, housing, education and healthcare.

He said this, in his view, has made it difficult for opponents to justify moves to remove the governor from office.

Tam-George also called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, to intervene, arguing that the party should not allow what he described as the humiliation of a sitting governor.

He said: “Well, all I think he needs to do is to do exactly what he’s been doing from the beginning, which is to place the people at the center of gravity of his administration, prioritize the needs of the people, so that the people can see the direct impact of government action in their lives.

“And that’s exactly what he’s doing in terms of rural development, in terms of housing sector transformation, which I mentioned that he is doing the same in education sector and in health.

“So if he continues, if he persists in placing the people’s need at the center of focus of his administration, there is no way they are going to be able to justify this kind of shenanigans.

“Because, if you look very carefully at the so called articles of impeachment, you will see that there is no specificity in terms of any infraction by the governor or his deputy.

“What they are trying to do is to make sure they scuttle the administration so that the governor doesn’t then get to the point where he will be seeking a second term.

“Let me be clear, just two days ago, Nyesom Wike was at one of the local governments, and he made it clear in a moment of epiphany, he made it clear that, look, if Governor Fubara were to get a second term in office, it will amount to his own political burial.

“So all of these things that we are seeing the so called impeachment proceedings they’ve initiated, it’s actually an effort to try to scuttle the prospects of the governor coming for a second term, and I don’t see how they will succeed.

“If you look at the so called articles of impeachment, as I said, they lack specificity in terms of the kind of infraction that they allege that the governor has committed. He has done nothing wrong, and they will see how the process will play out.

“My sense, and in fact, if I were to advise the governor, my sense is that he should just maintain the people, retain the people at the center of gravity of his administration, meet their needs, run a transparent administration as he always done, and then the truth will come out, and he will be able to defend the administration.

“I think the the governing APC should also step in because they can’t possibly allow the governor of the office with probably one of the best performance records in the country to be humiliated by some of these members of the assembly.”