Senator On The Spot Over Picture With Ministerial Nominee

The Senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, Senator Joel Onowakpo has been put on the spot after representatives of the three major ethnic groups in his constituency came out to oppose the nomination of Mrs Stella Okotete from the neighbouring Delta Central Senatorial District as the state’s ministerial nominee.

GWG.ng reports that Senator Onowakpo was seen in pictures being shared on several WhatsApp groups hobnobbing alongside with Senator Dafinone with Okotete, a develpment that has enraged some of his constituents who are opposed to her nomination.

The opposition to Okotete as minister was channelled in a petition authored by representatives of the Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri in Delta South on the claim that her nomination violates the principle of zoning given as they allege that the party chairman, Chief Omeni Sobotie, the governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege all come from her Ughelli North Local Government Area.

Besides, the petitioners alleged that the immediate past minister from the state, Olorogun Festus Keyamo is from the neighbouring local government also within the Central Senatorial District.

The petitioners allege that Delta South has been left marginalised since the advent of the APC in government despite the region’s dominance in oil production and the base of the party’s pioneer grandee, Senator Francis Okpozo.

The party leaders’ petition was addressed to Senator Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate and dated July 30, 2023. It was signed by Lucky J. Esigic, (Isoko); Felix Datouwei (Ijaw) and Evans Omatsoguwa (Itsekiri).

While noting the other ethical issues raised against the nominee, the petitioners wrote:

 “Moreover, the pending ministerial nomination is in complete disregard of the principle of zoning of positions in our party. We do not think that it is fair or equitable for the state Chairman of the party, the gubernatorial candidate and the ministerial nominee to be not only from the same senatorial zone but also the same local government.

“Given that Delta North senatorial district has also had a minister with Mr Ibe Kachikwu as Minister of State for Petroleum from 2015-2019, it is evident that the next minister from Delta State ought to come from the South senatorial district, especially in the light of the total absence of any high-profile federal appointment from among the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko since 2015.

“The party is at a loss regarding the reason for this sustained neglect of our people, despite being the mainstay not only of oil and gas production in Delta State but also the heartbeat of our party from formation under the leadership of the late Senator Francis S. Okpozo.

“Our unmitigated marginalization is weakening morale and threatening to exact high political costs. We fervently plead with you again to kindly intervene with the President on our behalf to take urgent steps to end it by nominating the Delta State minister from among the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko of Delta South senatorial district.

“This will be an act of overdue recognition that would assure the faithful party members in Delta South that they are not only useful to the nation for their oil and gas but are also equal stakeholders and participants in your government.

“It will also be conducive to the sustenance of the peace that currently prevails in the otherwise restive and volatile Delta South district of the Niger Delta,” the peititoners wrote in opposing Okotete, a move that has now drawn their Senate representative, Senator Onowakpo under fire.

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