Aide defends Okowa’s senatorial ambition, faults claim of missing N1.3trn Delta money

By Ifeanyi Olannye

former Chief Press Secretary to ex-governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State Mr Olisa Ifeajika has defended the senatorial ambition of his former boss while absolving him of alleged stealing of N1.3 trillion state fund while he was in office.

Ifeajika said this at a news briefing in Asaba on Tuesday while reacting to allegations of the missing of a whopping N1.3 trillion, raised by a youth group in the state.

The media aide insisted that Okowa is a serious contender for the Senate in the 2027 General Election and is not culpable of the allegedly missing N1.3 trillion state fund.

He also warned that people should shun politics of thuggery, lies and insults.

He said that though it was time for politics, opponents should campaign without twisting facts to distract the public by sending wrong information to smear decent people.

“As far as we are concerned, by the statement we gave out in 2024, no N1.3 trillion is missing anywhere.

“What came into the state for the eight years Okowa was governor was N2.65 trillion and we gave account of how that money was spent.

“We were all witnesses to the event about the allegation that while Okowa was on vacation outside the country in 2024, he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to defend allegations levelled against him.

“When he returned, as a law abiding citizen, he reported to the EFCC in Port Harcourt, where he responded to the petition.

“First, Okowa was not arrested, he went to honour an invitation by the EFCC and he was never detained.

“And after responding to the allegations, which took him one day, he came back to Asaba, his base.

“At Okowa’s return from the EFCC, I, as the CPS, came out with a statement to the facts and the so allegedly missing N1.3 trillion and we gave account of what came into the state as revenue for the eight years he was governor.

“For two years now, the statement has not been controverted and nobody has come to say Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, you lied, this facts you presented are not true,” Ifeajika said.

He further said that it was rather shameful that certain individuals could come to demand that Okowa was culpable of a “missing” N1.3 trillion and should be committed to prison.

He said that if the senator was culpable, the EFCC had a job to do, adding that people should not play politics with everything.

He debunked the allegation that Okowa and indeed the movement of the entire State Government’s structure from PDP to APC was to shield him from prosecution for alleged fraud.

“To move from PDP to APC was borne out of full consultation with relevant stakeholders in the state; from Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori, the past governor, leaders and to the lowest strata in the party, whether to remain or leave the PDP.

“Today, the implosion our leaders saw then in PDP has happened.

“So, the movement to APC was never to shield anybody nor avoid any investigation,” Ifeajika said.

He further said that, as governor, Okowa pioneered the domestication of Health Insurance Scheme in Delta, which gave rise to the contributory health scheme, where patients only pay N7,000 premium annually to access health care.

He said that, in spite the distractions, Okowa had fully answered the call by the leaders and stakeholders from Delta North, led by the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, to contest for the Senate in 2027.

Ifeajika, who is the Executive Assistant to Gov. Oborevwori on Public Enlightenment, Projects and Policies, lauded the present administration for its impactful projects, policies and programmes.

“Gov. Oborevwori is doing very well. He has taken governance to the next level.

“If the detractors have any other thing to throw up, let them do but for N1.3 trillion, health services or any other matter, they have failed,” Ifeajika said.

(NAN)