Symbol of Justice

Victor Efeizomor

The senator representing Delta North senatorial district in the Senate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has petitioned the State Security Service (SSS) over his alleged involvement and influence in the siting of an oil flow station in Owa-Alidinma in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State by a multi-national oil giant, Pan Ocean Oil Company.

Okowa, who disclosed this Wednesday in Asaba at a press conference, said it became necessary for him to petition the SSS to clear his name, redeem his image and ensure that mischief makers did not cash-in on it for political gains.

Okowa, who spoke through his Director of Information and Communications, Eugene Azuka Uzum,  described the allegations as “malicious,  frivolous, wicked, unwarranted and unacceptable,” adding that “already the SSS is investigating the issue and the persons involved have been invited for questioning.”

He said: “The Pan Ocean Oil Company has debunked the allegations  made by  the traditional ruler of  Abavo Kingdom in Ika South  Local Government Area, Obi  Uche Erenuma II that  he (Okowa) was  behind  the alleged  plan  to relocate  a proposed  flow station  from Obiayima in Abavo to Owa Alidinma in Ika  North East Local Government Area.”

Okowa said Pan Ocean’s community  liaison officer, Mr. Felix  Oweh, had since disclosed at a meeting  held in Asaba  that they did not  not have  any dealing  directly or indirectly  with him or his  proxies.

According to the Senator  the oil firm has  since explained that  the company  was surprised  and disappointed  when  it read  in the newspapers that he (Okowa)  is the mastermind of the proposed relocation  of the flow station  to Owa Alidinma as against  Obiayima, adding that at no time did he approach  the company  for such request.

He said the oil company also stated that technical and economic considerations are taken into cognizance before flow  stations  can be sited anywhere  in any part of the world, stressing  that the siting of a flow station is not  a decision  Pan  Ocean  could  take alone without inputs  from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and  NAPIMS  have  supervisory  authority  over Pan Ocean  exploration activities.

Okowa therefore demanded an apology from the Obi of Abavo for maligning and bringing his name to disrepute or else appropriate legal actions will commence. 

A fortnight ago, the traditional ruler of Abavo Kingdom, Obi Uche Erenuma II  led  a protest  along  major  streets  in Asaba, alleging  that Senator Okowa was  behind  an alleged  plan  to relocate  a proposed  flow station  from  Obiatima in Abavo to Owa Alidinma.