The Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Thursday,
broke his long silence on the controversy trailing the operations of 2017
budget of the State.
The governor
lashed at his critics, specifically his Agbor kinsman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh,
describing him as ‘unintelligent’ for referring to the 2017 Appropriation Bill
as blank budget.
Ojougboh, a
former national deputy chairman of the defunct Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the
People Democratic Party (PDP) had accused Governor Okowa of running a blank
budget for 2017, and challenged the governor to make public the details of the
budget if there was any.
But fielding
questions from newsmen in Asaba shortly after presenting the 2018 budget
proposals to the state House of Assembly, Okowa said Ojougboh “though went to
school but he is making unintelligent comments.
“You
(journalists) were here last year when the budget was presented, the budget was
considered and passed by the House, and you were there when the budget was
signed.
“I have been to
the National Assembly and I believe that the Delta State House of Assembly is
very credible. We have followed the due processes which we have again started
for next year’s budget.
“Is it possible
to have a blank budget? Then what is the budget if it is blank? So his comments
appear stupid and unintelligent, but somehow we are in a nation where anybody
can say anything because of freedom of speech.
“However, it is
only fair that people who went to school should speak in a manner that we went
to school. When we speak unintelligently, it is unfair,” Okowa said.
Ojougboh left
the PDP last month to join forces with the main opposition party in the state,
the All Progressive Congress (APC) in a bid to defeat the PDP in the 2019
governorship election where Okowa will be seeking a second term.
The former PDP
chieftain, Ojougboh, has since assumed the role of the unofficial spokesman of
the opposition party with frequent criticism of the programme and policy of the
state government.
Courtesy: Paul
Osuyi, Asaba
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