By Shedrach Onitsha



The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has responded to a recent press briefing conducted by the State Government, represented by the Commissioner of Works, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who is currently overseeing the Ministry of Information following the reassignment of Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza to the position of Commissioner for Special Duties at the Government House in Asaba over poor performance while in office.

In a conversation with our reporter, Valentine Onojeghuo, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, characterized the press briefing as a superficial exercise aimed at sanitizing the tarnished reputation of Governor Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori. He argued that the event lacked any substantive content.
"This revelation is alarming, as former Governor Okowa is under investigation by the EFCC for financial misappropriation.


Onojeghuo stated that Aniagwu's briefing has further highlighted the shortcomings of Governor Oborevwori's administration, particularly regarding the urgent infrastructural development needs of the State. "The press briefing by Mr. Charles Aniagwu was a complete failure, revealing that after 19 months in office, the governor can only point to a few scattered projects across the State, despite receiving over 300 billion in federal allocations. In Delta North, only four or five road projects were mentioned, two in Delta Central, and none in Delta South. This is frankly disgraceful, and we are not surprised by the poorly executed briefing. Aniagwu was brought in by the Governor to mask the deficiencies of his administration, which his predecessor failed to do."



Onojeghuo also criticized the State government for its inability to complete the 100 km Ughelli-Asaba dual carriageway, which has been ongoing for 17 years. "It is absurd that Aniagwu spoke about the completion of the Ughelli-Asaba dual carriageway. This project, initiated over 17 years ago, remains unfinished despite the substantial resources available to the State government. The PDP-led administrations in Delta have set a dubious record in road construction and should be considered for the Guinness World Record for taking over 17 years to complete a mere 100 km road."

Furthermore, he raised concerns regarding the government's claims of efforts to diversify the State's economy through investment in UTM LNG, which aims to exploit significant natural gas reserves. He pointed out that the State government's dealings with UTM LNG are under scrutiny by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in connection with former Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who is being investigated for financial mismanagement exceeding 1.3 trillion naira of revenue from the 13% derivation funds

"This revelation is alarming, as former Governor Okowa is under investigation by the EFCC for financial misappropriation. Reports suggest that the Okowa administration invested billions under dubious circumstances, and now Aniagwu claims that the Oborevwori administration is also investing in UTM LNG, which is currently under fraud investigation. This situation should raise serious concerns for the people of Delta State. While Aniagwu asserts that the investment aims to harness natural gas reserves in Delta, it appears the project is actually proposed for Akwa Ibom State. The critical question is: how will this investment benefit Deltans in terms revenue returns and job creation if it is situated in another State?" he added.

Onojeghuo concluded by criticizing the Oborevwori administration’s claims of reducing the State's debt stock by 200 billion, suggesting that the governor has prioritized servicing the substantial debt inherited from his predecessor over implementing infrastructural developments that could enhance the living conditions of Delta State residents.

"Deltans can vividly recall the viral video of Sen. Ned Nwoko, where he confronted Governor Sheriff Oborevwori about funding the Okpai power generation plant, which would greatly benefit the people of Delta North and boost economic activities in that area. The governor bluntly refused to contribute any funds, claiming that he had exhausted all available resources to service Okowa's dubious loans, which are now under investigation. Clearly, the governor's sole focus is on repaying these loans", he concluded.