A member representing Ughelli North Ughelli South Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, has requested the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for an operational car.
Waive, a fierce preacher of morality now turned politician, in a letter addressed to Okowa dated December 19, 2022 and received at the office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor on December 20, 2022, begged the governor to consider him as one of the beneficiaries of Okowa’s car gift to Delta federal lawmakers.
Okowa, following the tradition set by his predecessors, provided 10 Toyota Land Cruisers to the 10 House of Representatives members from Delta State.
However, while the other nine federal lawmakers from the state, including Hon. Ben Igbakpa, an NNPP member, got their own vehicles, Waive’s car was allegedly withheld and according to sources, is parked at a residence of one of the governor’s associates in Abuja.
The lawmaker, in his unusual self, excused the governor for not answering his calls or responding to his texts after one month of receipt of his letter by Okowa.
In the letter, Waive lamented that of all the 10 members of the House of Representatives from the state, he is the only one yet to receive his Toyota Land Cruiser. Waive is the only All Progressives Congress (APC) member from the state, while the other nine belong to PDP.
The letter titled ‘Non-Receipt of My Car’ read:
“First, let me thank you Sir for your magnanimity in upholding the tradition of our dear state in assisting members of the National Assembly with operational vehicles. In this 9th Assembly, you have been gracious in providing a Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep to all other members of the House of
Representatives except myself the Honorable member representing the entire people of Ughelli North Ughelli South Udu Federal Constituency in the House.
“Your Excellency, I believe overzealous aides are responsible for my exclusion. I bring this to your kind attention so that you can direct a more senior officer to reach me with mine.
“I have called your phone number a couple of times and sent a few text messages without any response. I understand the huge demand on your time first as our governor and at this crucial time of electioneering campaigns. I thus decided to write hoping that this letter will come to your attention and you will use your good office to ensure I am not shortchanged, oppressed or denied before your very eyes.”
Meanwhile, a PDP member of the House of Representatives and a colleague of Waive, who pleaded anonymity, said it is a usual practice not to give operational cars to members from opposition parties.
When queried why Igbakpa, an NNPP member, was given, the lawmaker said: “You and I know that Hon Ben is PDP by heart, he is just in NNPP to use their platform for electoral purposes, if not PDP runs in his vein, but for Waive you don’t empower your enemy,” he added.
Another source at the office of the Secretary to the State Government challenged Waive to defect to the PDP, noting that if he does, he will get more than a car, adding that: “He cannot be working in Shell and go to Chevron for salary. If he needs a Jeep, let him decamp, simple.”
However, an aide to Waive, Ochuko Ovus, while reacting to the insinuation that the lawmaker went to beg for a car, said that the issue is not about Waive, but that the entire Ughelli/Udu constituency is being deprived by actions of certain people in the state government.
According to him, Waive rode his first brand new Toyota Prado in 2007 courtesy of his former employers, adding that Waive is a contented man, but he will not keep quiet in the face of deprivation, oppression and wickedness.
He disclosed that the polite manner of Waive’s choice to communicate with the governor in his letter was expected because a man of God should be civil, humane and godly.
Ovus noted that though Okowa’s tenure runs out in four months, one should expect a man who aspires to be vice-president of Nigeria not to exhibit this level of pettiness against the entire federal constituency, especially in an election year.
“Deploying the car that is due to our constituency for his vice-presidential bid will not help Gov Okowa. So he should prove us wrong that he has nothing against the people of Ughelli North, South and Udu federal constituency because his actions lately betray his ‘Prosperity For All Deltans’ slogan,” he said.
