Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Taraba State Governor, Dairus Dickson Ishaku, has described Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as a pride to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian nation as he has remained a man of integrity and high leadership reputation.
Ishaku, who stated this yesterday while inaugurating some roads in Asaba, the Delta State capital, and the adjoining town of Okpanam executed by state government, said that the people of the state should count themselves lucky to have Okowa as governor due to his sincere commitment to the equitable development of the state.
The Taraba State governor helped to inaugurate the Jesus Saves Road, Agric Road and Onwuegbuzia Road in Asaba, Oshimili Local Government Area as well as the Asaba-Okpanam Road in Oshimili North Local Government Area, which was upgraded to a dual-carriage way by the Okowa administration.
Nonetheless, Ishaku noted that Okowa had at some very critical points in the development of the country risen up to the challenge by offering purposeful leadership and averting major political crises in the country.
Specifically, he noted that Okowa had, a time the PDP appeared to be threatened by leadership problem, stepped in as the chairman of the party’s national convention in Abuja, where a new national chairman emerged who was acceptable to all the interest groups within the party.
He also recalled having to work with Okowa to oversee the most peaceful presidential primaries of the PDP in Port Harcourt, which produced the party’s presidential candidate and shamed those who had predicted that the turmoil that would greet the outcome of the primaries would sound the knell for the PDP in Nigeria.
In the light of the present situation of the country, Nigerians would be able to appreciate the personality of Okowa better if they realised that there were genuine fears that Nigeria was at the brink of degenerating into a one-party state when the PDP successfully conducted its presidential primary in the River State capital to choose its candidate,” he said.
The Taraba governor pointed out that his experience as a minister in the Niger Delta had shown that roads were far more difficult and costly to construct in Delta and other states of the South-south geopolitical zone, relative to the northern parts of the country.
“I am happy to be here in Delta for this momentous and historical occasion. Governor Okowa’s performance is a testament of the quality of leaders the PDP is putting up for governance in the states where they are leading,” he said.
While harping on the leadership credentials of his host, Ishaku said, “Your governor and myself, we stood in when we were to bring our national party chairman in those turbulent years in 2016.
“And, the two of us were also paired up to bring up the presidential candidate of the PDP, which took place in Port-Harcourt, and which was adjudged the best, most transparent primaries ever handled by any political party in Nigeria.
“I must commend him for his competence, integrity, commitment and indeed his wonderful contributions to the growth and development of Delta State and Nigeria.
“I am aware of his outstanding accomplishments in education, road construction, water supply as well as the empowerment of women and youths in the state.
“I have been opportuned to be Minister of Niger Delta and I know how difficult and how expensive it is to build roads in the Niger Delta because it costs up to four to five times of what we spend in the North.
“Not many people know what goes on underground in the roads and our people need to be told what Niger Delta states pass through in constructing roads.
“In most cases people don’t understand that the underground drainages cost even more than asphalting of the road itself.
“It is imperative that we continue to sustain our support to governors like Okowa, who has been doing extremely well for his people and for the PDP.
“As we approach 2023, I urge Nigerians to support the party in our quest to take back power at the centre.
“Happily today, the residents of these roads have joined the community of beneficiaries of the Okowa-led administration.
“Without mincing words we are proud of you, Governor Okowa, because you have done us proud in PDP and you have made your people happy as well.”
Earlier in his remarks at the inauguration of the Jesus Saves and Agric roads in Asaba, Governor Okowa appreciated the extent of work done by the government authorities, the construction company as well as the peaceful disposition of Asaba people of Oshimili South.
“As has been said, this area we are inaugurating this road today used to be a very difficult terrain and I must publicly appreciate the contractor, CCECC, for a great job done especially for achieving the ground sewer to the Amilimocha River.
“Today the sewer is under the ground and with the reconstruction of the roads and the drains, everything looks so good and we are happy that you are here to inaugurate these important roads.”
On the Okpanam road project, he said that the road was very key because it connected the twin towns of Asaba and Okpanam.
“The road connects two local government areas and we have completed it by ensuring that the storm water which used to be very problematic is now a thing of the past,” he said.
“We have completed six out of the eight storm drainages and still have two more to ensure the completion of the entire storm drainages in Okpanam and Asaba and thereafter we can sleep with our two eyes closed,” Okowa added.
