Innocent Ojefia Blog

Contrary to reports that the data from the card reader was automatically uploaded from the card reader to INEC ICT database in Abuja on election day, an Assistant Director in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs Abimbola Oladunjoye, has disclosed that it took more than six weeks after the governorship election of April 11 for the information to be uploaded. At the resumption of hearing of the petition brought by APC’s Ortega Emerhor against the election of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as Delta State governor at the State Election Tribunal, Mrs Oladunjoye shocked the court when she told the court that “we had data upload span over about six weeks after election.” S She further raised doubts about the integrity of the INEC ICT Unit when she told the Tribunal that the unit was manned by twelve different people with each person having their individual passwords. The INEC Assistant Director then presented two different results on the Delta Governorship election obtained fro...

President Muhammadu Buhari owes himself a lot for sticking out his neck and campaigning; he owes his supporters a lot for helping him reach the presidency he had sought for and failed for many years. He probably owes his conscience something. And if he cares about it he might owe history and posterity something big. The truth is that most importantly, the President owes us good governance and no more. However, good governance is mostly in the eyes of the beholder and he should be allowed to go about it the best way he wants. To achieve his form of good governance he can appoint any of his supporters to any position high or low without reference to his opponents for his opponents may not want him to succeed. He should be advised to be mindful of his new found friends for some of them could be fair weather friends and who could abscond come rain. And move to a sun shine zone. The opposition does have a job in PMB’s government. They should OPPOSE, OPPOSE and OPPOSE. They should f...

The Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa   has challenged the newly inaugurated 14-man Governing Board for the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission [DESOPADEC] to ensure prudent management of resources for the benefits of the people. The constituted Board has Hon. Godwin Ebosa as Chairman, Chief William Makinde as Managing Director; Chief Askia Ogieh (Executive Director), Hon. Chris Ochor Ochor (Executive Director); Mr Philip Gbasin (Executive Director); Engr. Oristetimeyin Wood (Executive Director) while the representatives of the oil producing areas are Chief Amos Itiwhe, Chief Pius Ovbije, Mr Jonathan Amitaye, Hon. Ovie Oghoore, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Mr Nnamdi Ezechi, Hon. Fidelis Oputa and Chief Favour Izoukumor. Governor Okowa who charged members of the Board to imbibe the principles of fairness, equity and justice that are watchword of his administration, emphasised that members of the Board should always involve host communities in their...

…APC pleads for time to Regularize Documents   Tribunal Adjourns to 4th September The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its gubernatorial candidate in the governorship election in Delta State, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, of stalling trial in the election petition they filed challenging the victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the april 2015 polls.  At the resumed hearing of the trial of the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, yesterday , counsel to APC and O’tega , Chief Thomson Okpoko (SAN) had moved a motion praying the court for adjournment to enable it get certified copies of his petition documents from INEC. He had argued that most of the documentations were not properly certified as stipulated by the supreme court, adding that , the true and proper certification would be done by INEC administrative secretary. But INEC counsel Ch...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has sworn in the Board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission. The Board is chaired by Mr. Godwin Ebosa, with Chief William Makinde as the Managing Director. Other members of the Board are: Mr Godwin Ebosa, Chairman. Chief William Makinde,  Managing Director,   Chief   Bashorun Askia   Ogie, Executive Director Mr Phillip Gbasin. Executive Director Hon Ocho Chris Ocho, Executive Directors Representatives of Oil Producing Areas in the State, Commissioner's are: Chief Amos Itiwhe Chief Pius Ovbije Jonathan Amitaye Hon Ovie Oghoore Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Nnamdi Ezechi Hon Fedelis Oputa Chief Favour Izoukumor.

ABUJA  President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment, yesterday, of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, his Chief of Staff and four others was greeted by angry reactions as some described it as lopsided and sectional.  Same sentiments were expressed with the president’s earlier appointments. President Buhari, appointed, his longtime political associate, Engr. David Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former banker, Alhaji Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff. The appointments went against the grain of political permutations which had seen some key political figures being mentioned as likely appointees to the coveted offices. Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), who had acted as chief of staff to Buhari in his private capacity and as presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was named Comptroller-General of Customs in a key indication of the President’s yet-to-be unveiled agenda for the service. Ali was a former military admin...

The Delta State government has held an inter-denominational thanksgiving service to mark the 24th anniversary of the creation of the State, at the St. Philip Anglican Church, AGGS, Westend Asaba. The sermon of the day was preached by Rev Oyibo, Chairman of CAN Delta State. He took his sermon from Ecclesiastes 12 v 13 & 14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man . 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. 1. Without the fear of God we cannot achieve our desire to prosper. 2. What is the fear of God? It is about recognising the supremacy of God in all the affairs and strivings of man. 3. The writer concluded, “Only the fear of God bestows on us true progress and happiness". Without God been FIRST above our selfish interests then all of human achievements namely knowledge, wealth, educational qualifications, titles ...

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the sack and subsequent trial of Economic and Financial Crimes commision Boss Ibrahima Lamorde Global Village Extra, a US-based online newspaper has reported.  Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is being probed by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over an allegation that he criminally diverted over N1 trillion recovered from corrupt individuals and groups by the anti-graft agency. Part of the money alleged by a petitioner to have been diverted by the EFCC boss included the loot recovered from a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and ex-Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun. He failed to appear before the panel on Wednesday and now it is almost certain that the Nigerian president has approved the immediate sack and replacement of Lamorde, who will be probed immediately afterwards FORMER military administrator of Kaduna State Colonel Ha...

Pa Chief Arthur Okorie Uzoma Okowa (JP) celebrates 83 rd birthday anniversary with a thanksgiving service. Chief Okorie Okowa is the father of the Governor of Delta State Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. At 83 years of age, you certainly haven’t slowed down at all. You have such a way with words and show such empathy and care.  You deserve nothing but life’s blessings bestowed on your smiling face. Please know that you are loved and how much we care. I hope your day is filled with sunshine and happiness, too. Enjoy every moment of it and love what you do. Happy 83rd birthday to a man who is the embodiment of the word grace! GLORY BE TO GOD FOR THE GRACE! HAPPY FELICITATIONS!!

The Delta State Government has released the list of successful candidates for skills training and entrepreneurship programme (step). Find the list below. DELTA NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT UKWUANI LGA S/N SURNAME OTHER NAMES SEX 1 ENI MARANATHA EJOKEOGHENE FEMALE 2 OJUWA SAFIE AUTHENTIC MALE 3 OKONYE DENNIS MALE 4 ONYENENUE ELVIS MALE 5 IDIMAH ANTHONY CHINEDU MALE 6 OSUYALI NDUKA MALE 7 SITOYIBO FRANKLIN CHUKS MALE 8 OGONEGBU VERA IFEKAM FEMALE 9 OKPOCHINI OBIELUMANI EVE FEMALE 10 OSSAI ISHIOMA C. FEMALE 11 ENOMATE JAMES CHUKWUKA MALE 12 ESIMOBI UCHE GODSWILL MALE 13 OKUCHUKU A. ALBERT MALE 14 ANAMALI N. VIVIAN FEMALE 15 ALIKU NICHOLAS MALE 16 EKEZUE ELVIS .M. MALE 17 UWUMADU CHUKUNEKU COLLINS MALE 18 ADOH FELICIA KELICHA FEMALE 19 INEH LOVELYN CHIKA FEMALE 20 ONYENWOSA MARIAGORATHYUKAMAKA FEMALE 21 OYEM CHIKA FAVOUR FEMALE 22 CHUKUKA C ODIKAYOR MALE 23 OSAEMEKE P UGOCHUKU MALE 24 ESUME SABASTINE MALE 25 ILOME CHUKWUDI MALE 26 OKWUSA EMEKE MALE 27 ULOKU...

Former Director- General of Budget Office of the federation, Dr. Bright Okogwu, resigned his position in June this year to take directorship appointment at the African Development Bank (AfDB) headquarters at Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Elombah.com can confirm. Speaking to Elombah.com this morning following our report yesterday that  President Buhari replaced Dr Bright Okogwu with Alhaji Aliyu Yahaya Gusau as Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, an officer of the AfDB impressed on Elombah.com that Dr Okogu was not sacked as being insinuated in some quarters. "Dr Okogu was actually promoted to African Development Bank where Dr. Akinwumi Adeshina, Nigeria’s immediate past Minister of Agriculture recently got elected as AfBD President", the AfDB officer who craved anonymity told Elombah.com. Okogu (pictured above) had been Director General, Budget Office of the Federation since December 2007. Elombah.com had reported that Alhaji Aliyu Gusau hail from...

President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the comptroller general of Nigeria Immigration Service, David Parradang mni.  Mr. Parradang was asked to immediately proceed on suspension Friday while the service’s deputy comptroller general, Martin Abeshi, takes over, according to the News Agency of Nigeria. It was not immediately clear why Mr. Parradang was sanctioned.

Proceedings at the Delta State election tribunal sitting in Asaba suffered another setback as attempt by the All Progressive Congress, APC and its gubernatorial candidate Otega Emerhor to bring in more documents outside their initial plea could not survive the legal fire power of counsels to the gubernatorial candidate of PDP Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the People’s Democratic Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.  The counsels to Okowa, PDP and INEC in their opposition to the application of APC, Orterga and Labour party candidate reiterated that the petitioner has no locus standi to bring in documents that are not included in d petition from the onset when the petition was filed. Continuing, the counsels argued that the petitioner wants to tactically maneuver the tribunal by bringing in two subpoenas not listed in the main petition, while urging d court to reject the application of the petitioner. According to the counsels who raised preliminary objec...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has advocated the establishment of mini refineries to decrease the level of pipeline vandalism in the country. According to Governor Okowa, establishing mini refineries in different areas of the Niger Delta area would ensure that the 450, 000 barrels of crude oil meant for local consumption are refined locally. The Governor was speaking when the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), Prof. Akii Ibhadode paid him a courtesy call today (20/08/15) at Asaba, emphasised that all avenues to reduce illegal refining of petroleum products and pipeline vandalism must be harnessed. He said, “we look forward to having effective and efficient mini refineries so that our people will be better encouraged to follow due process in refining petroleum products, rather than vandalizing our pipelines and seek to get crude from the local provisions that NNPC provides on a daily basis for refining"...