Governor Inauguration Committee: Okowa Urges Members Not To Sensationalize Appointment

…Says Membership Not Automatic Appointment In New Administration

By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe

It is customary in politics for certain political actors within the political milieu to expect appointments into offices after victory of party and candidates at the general elections, a practice in democracies around the globe, Nigeria and Delta State inclusive.

In Delta State, the incumbent governor and Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON, recently approved names of some government officials and party stalwarts to serve in the Central Committee and Subcommittees for the inauguration of the Governor-Elect, Rt Hon Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, JP, on May 29, this year.

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The names approved by Gov Okowa and released by the Office of the Secretary to Delta State Government, has it that the SSG, High Chief Patrick Ukah, Fnipr, is to Chair the Central Committee while the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Sir Rotarian Eddie Ogidi-Gbagbaje will serve as Secretary. List of subcommittees, Chairmen and members were also released.

Consequent upon the announcement of names to serve in the Central and various Subcommittees, some persons took to their social media handles congratulating those appointed, making it sound as if those appointed to serve in the main and subcommittees have automatically been appointed to also serve in the incoming.
administration.

In swift reaction to the wrong impression and negative tensions generated on social media platforms, the State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur, debunked the allegations, saying that members of the Central and Subcommittees should consider their appointments as another priviledge to serve, pointing out that their engagements does not translate to automatic appointment in the incoming administration of Rt Hon Sheriff Francis Oborevwori.

The Governor who spoke through the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Chairman, Publicity/Programmes Subcommittee of the May 29 Inauguration ceremony, stated that membership of the committee and sub-committees was not an automatic qualification for appointment into the next administration in the state, advising against “entitlement mentality” being associated with membership of the committee.

“You are very much aware that the Okowa administration is winding down and in about a month or couple of weeks, we will be heralding a new administration.

“As it is customary, we have put up a Committee to carry out a number of activities to ensure a smooth transition.

“What is trending in the Social Media is as if those who have been appointed into the main Committee and sub-committees have been given appointment in the new administration.

“We want to make it very clear that those appointed into the committees have only been asked to come and work for the purpose of seeing a smooth transition from the Okowa administration to the next administration.

“It does not mean that they are the ones that worked more than any other person. It does not also suggest that they are much more important than any other person.

“You know that if everybody who contributed to the success of the election were to be considered it means we will have a committee that will be more than a million,” he said.

Aniagwu appealed to party faithful who felt agitated for not being appointed into the committees to know that their assignment is just to midwife the process of a smooth transition.

“It doesn’t suggest that these persons who have been appointed have been automatically engaged by the new administration nor does it undermine the effort of every other person who did not see their names in the different committees.

“There are individuals who contributed very immensely to the success of the election and I can assure you that both the outgoing and incoming administrations take very serious cognisance of those efforts and in due course, the good Lord will instigate a process where they will be rewarded.

“Appointment into the Committee is just to midwife these processes that will culminate in the eventual handover to the next administration.

“So we appeal to our brothers to note that the Committee will not work in isolation and they will be reaching out to a number of people to assist them carry out the task,” he explained.

He urged Deltans to continue their support for the Okowa administration not only to May 29 but to the incoming Oborevwori administration adding that the success of Okowa will advance the state.