Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State is unhappy that the federal
government is yet to fulfil its promises to the Pan Niger Delta Forum,
(PANDEF), two years after the promises were made. According to him, FG’s
inability to fulfil the promises was responsible for the latest threats
by the Niger Delta Avengers.
He also kicked against FG’s plan
to get states to provide lands for colonies, saying that a strong
statement from President Muhammadu Buhari would end killings by Fulani
herdsmen across the country.
Okowa also spoke on several other national and state issues.
The killings by the rampaging Fulani herdsmen is increasing by the day, what do you think is the solution to this problem?
Well, I actually think that there is a lot that needs to be done. This
problem has been on in the last few years, but it appears to have taken a
new dimension now. Because the killings you are hearing about now, yes
because of the large numbers in Benue and Taraba States, it is coming to
the fore, but you find those killings everywhere. Even as I was here
(in Abuja,) I got a report that somebody was killed in my state by one
of the herdsmen.
I think that the security agencies must stand
up to this very wrong approach to the issues of cattle rearing because
when people come out and they carry guns, I don’t think that that was
what used to happen in the past. Because in the past we used to see
herdsmen, they come in; they relate with the people in the various
villages, that is not the position at the moment. But when you just
stroll into people’s farms, stroll into people’s lands and continue to
do all manner of things, it is not right. I believe that there has to be
a strong statement coming out from the presidency and such strong
statements from President Buhari will possibly spur the Security
agencies to take appropriate actions.
First I believe that every
herdsman must be totally disarmed because it is not the right thing to
do, I don’t think that they are empowered to carry guns as they do, no
Nigerian is empowered to carry such riffles except if they are members
of security agency. So, we must do that.
Will Delta State concede land for the colonies?
In the first instance you know that Delta State is possibly half of water, half of land. So, obviously we are in need of land.
The opposition in your state alleged that the recently held local
government elections were compromised, what do you have to say?
When you talk about the opposition, I think it is only one party that
made that complain because the other parties that participated didn’t
speak in the same manner, that is one. I believe too that if you try to
follow up several weeks to the elections, I was out there on campaign. I
went to the entire 25 local government areas campaigning and thereafter
gave our candidates flags, they went to every ward and every unit
campaigning, we took it very seriously. Throughout the time to the
elections, I did not see any other political party truly campaigning for
even those that complained, we never saw them campaigning anywhere. So,
I do not know how people want to win elections. If you do not campaign,
you do not go to the people; you do not go there to ask for their
votes, I don’t know how you are going to get their votes.
I
think that essentially, the other parties led by IPAC (Inter Party
Advisory Committee) have actually come out with a statement. But on our
own we are convinced that we did the right thing and I don’t think we
owe anyone any apology because we were ready for the elections but they
were not.
Recently, the Avengers threatened to resume hostility
and even threaten to destroy oil pipelines, what are you doing to ensure
that the threat is nipped in the bud?
A lot is being done but
sometimes there are so many things you do you don’t have to speak about
it in public because it is security based. But recently on the 10th and
11th of this January, we set up an advocacy committee against the
destruction of pipelines and oil facilities. That advocacy committee is
led by the deputy governor made up of very top ranking persons in
government who have influence within the sphere of areas where we have
these facilities. They organised a conference which involved the youths
of that area, it involved the traditional rulers, major opinion leaders
and even some very prominent ex-agitators for two days. The Managing
Director of Shell was there with very top management of Chevron and
other companies where they talked with each other and made far reaching
decisions.
These are the kinds of things that we do to try to
create a buy-in so that the youths, the opinion leaders, the traditional
rulers can be part of governance, can understand what is going on, so
we actually reach out to them. It does cost us money but we believe that
there is nothing better than peace. In a very peaceful atmosphere, our
resources can grow, development is assured and investors can also come
in. But there are so many other things we are doing that we don’t have
to speak about publicly because of the security nature.
However,
I think there is the need for the federal government to keep up to some
of its promises. We thank God that the Vice President was with us after
we were able to lay the foundation for him to come, he was in Gbaramatu
kingdom and spoke to people and spoke to other opinion leaders in
Warri. We thank him for that visit but there were certain promises made
and when the leaders through PANDEF also visited Mr. President, there
were certain requests made. We need to see some of these things on
ground. The 16 things that we asked for cannot be on ground but key
things have to be on ground. And one that is very key is the Maritime
University, I think the National Assembly is concerned because the House
of Reps recently passed the bill; it has also passed in the Senate. So,
we hope that as soon as possible, Mr. President will sign it into law.
Beyond that, a Committee set up by the Vice President then as Acting
President to look into the start up of the university; have done a lot
of work. They were supposed to start in October 2017, there are already
some delays and we are already in January, so you find out that there is
some level of agitation. But I do know and I have confirmed that the
federal government has released the initial N1 billion to them, and as a
state government when we found that there was an agitation last year,
we also released N100 million to support the university to start initial
things that they needed to do. We think that as quickly as that starts,
we can say yes, one out of the 16 things has been done, let’s be
patient and look forward to other things
I think too that the
oil companies’ relationship with the communities is actually improving.
It is usually tough because they also have their own setbacks, sometimes
too, some of their actions don’t help but I believe too that with the
conference that held and the committee put up to improve the
relationship between them and the oil producing communities, I think
that that is going to be far-reaching and by the special grace of God, I
think our facilities will be maintained.
What’s your assessment of the Buhari government so far?
Well, the government of the APC and the PDP and the APGA government
both at the federal and state level came in at a very challenging time.
There is no doubt that with the very challenging times, there are
definitely some setbacks and many of the things that we did promise, we
may not be able to fulfil them. But I will rather not want to directly
score it because in scoring a government you need to look at a whole lot
of things but what I think I will like to see a little more is the
development of infrastructure.
But one thing I find that they
have not been able to do well is the management of the budget because in
every process, you must manage the budget in such a manner that you
will be able to utilise the dry season which you actually need for the
development of infrastructure. Unfortunately, in the two years going to
the third one now, the national budget is usually passed late in the
year and you have already crossed the dry season. So, if funds are not
released appropriately because the budgets also have not been passed,
you may not be able to achieve a lot. But scoring them on every other
thing will be difficult for me. I think in terms of infrastructure
development there is still a lot that needs to be done.
Are you happy with the state of things in your party, the PDP and how prepared are you to take over in 2019?
Yes the PDP is getting stronger. We had challenges you do know that and
by God’s Grace we were able to conduct a non elective convention in
August 2017 and in December we conducted an elective convention. Because
we put the right processes in place we were able to tackle the issues
that came thereafter. And because it is anticipated that in any elective
convention with so many people in the contest, there might be some
problems, we foretold that and we had the Siriake Dickson’s
Reconciliatory Committee headed by the governor of Bayelsa State. We had
a good enough convention by our own assessment. Yes there could be
always one challenge or the other, it is normal. But I think the
reconciliatory process went very fast, the last pockets of
reconciliation are being sealed at the moment. The faction that was
about breaking away is already talking with the Uche Secondus-led
National Working Committee and everything is being worked out properly.
I think we have gone passed any real challenge as a party at the
moment, it is for us to consolidate the processes of our party
governance and prepare ourselves to take in a large chunk of people who
may not feel happy with where they are. We are preparing ourselves for
that. We are also preparing ourselves to begin to reach out to all
Nigerians on the need for them to support the PDP because what we have
is actually a reformed PDP where we have a renewed focus and I believe
too that by the time we go for our presidential primary, we are going to
be very fair to all and with that fair contest that we are going to
provide, whoever emerges will actually be an acceptable candidate and we
go out there to campaign to Nigerians. We have strengthened the party
and we believe we are on course to election victory.
http://sunnewsonline.com/strong-statement-from-buharill-end-herdsmen-killings-okowa/
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