Appointments: Those Portraying Gov Okowa As A Tribal Bigot Are Deluded, Says Rights Group

By Our Reporters

Members of the Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged, (Centrep), have condemned those that referred to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as a tribal bigot over his recent political appointments in the State.

In a press release signed by Oghenejabor Ikimi Esq., the Executive Director of Centrep, the group said: “We believe that the recent political appointments of his personal staffers are in order as the said appointments cuts across the three senatorial districts of the State.

Centrep added: “Our position which is devoid of any primordial motive, stems from the fact that the political equation in Delta State lies in the offices of the Governor, (Delta North), the Deputy Governor, (Delta South) and the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, (Delta Central) and not in the appointment by Governor Okowa of his personal political staffers as in the instant case.

“Without holding brief for the Governor, we believe that as Chief Executive, the Governor has the prerogative to appoint whoever he desires as his personal staff whether or not they are his kinsmen as long as the appointees are eminently qualified to occupy such positions. It is therefore unfair and sarcastic for the proponents of the above theory to pontify that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is a tribal bigot trying to Aniomalize the entire Delta State.”

“We make bold to say that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa having assured Deltans that further political appointments would be done on the basis of equity and fair play across the three senatorial districts of the State, we call on the proponents of the above tribal theory who are indeed troublemakers to sheathe their swords henceforth, as such inflammatory statements are capable of further dividing and polarizing our beloved State along tribal lines to the detriment of peace, progress and development of our State and her citizenry,” the group said.