Speaking at a Thanksgiving service at the Government House Chapel in Asaba, the governor called on his opponents to partner with him to move Delta State forward.

“This victory is for our people to know that our God is faithful and He alone has delivered us. This victory is for everyone, and like I promised Deltans, I will be the governor for all Deltans,” he said.

Oborevwori stressed that God ordained him to be governor and thanked Deltans for supporting his ambition.

“I came to this altar before I went to Abuja for this last judgment, and I said God is not a man that he should lie to. I have promised God that every time He gives me victory, I must come here to thank Him.

“I have done it several times, and I said I would also return the same day of the victory to thank God. The Lord has redeemed me.

“This victory is not about me but about the people of Delta State. The immediate past governor said that somebody who would not recognise this altar will never be governor; God has honoured that word,” he said.

Oberevwori added: “This case made it 38 cases for me from pre-election matters to this one. Even the governors who have done eight years did not go through such a number of cases.”

The governor, who was earlier welcomed from Abuja by a mammoth crowd at the Asaba International Airport, said he was happy that the litigation was over, assuring that he would now concentrate on delivering on his MORE agenda for the people.

Reacting to the judgement, the immediate past governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on his verified Facebook account, wrote: “This judgement truly underscores the trust and confidence that the people of our state, the Big Heart of our nation, have placed in the leadership of Governor Oborevwori’s administration and our great party.”

Also, former governor of the state, Emmanuel Uduaghan, said: “These cases have been quite trying, but for those that have passed through this route, propaganda was a big issue.

“We thank God for the overall result; it is now time to settle down fully and deliver the dividends of democracy.”

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Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, former governor is insisting on having a forty percent share of members in the new cabinet, a move objected to by other stakeholders in the party.

A source, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said Okowa is insisting on his political allies filling key positions in the Ministries of Finance, Works and Health. A former Accountant General of the state who hails from the same local government area as Okowa is being touted by the ex-governor to fill the position of Ministry for Finance.

It was learnt that Governor Oborevwori is dissatisfied with the situation and may call the bluff of his predecessor. Former governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan is reportedly scheming for a position for his daughter who failed to win the Warri North Constituency seat into the State legislature in the last PDP primaries.

A source said “The reason behind the delay in announcing a new cabinet stems from a disagreement between Governor Oborevwori and the immediate past governor. Okowa is insisting on having a bigger share of members in the new cabinet because he played a major role in making Oborevwori governor of the state.

“But other PDP leaders are uncomfortable with Okowa’s hard stance given that the governor conceded the office of secretary to the government (SSG) to him”. Reacting, Governor Oborevwori, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, debunked the insinuation as mere speculation.

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He made the announcement on Thursday, June 16, via his social media handles.

Abubakar posted, “I am delighted to announce Governor Ifeanyi A. Okowa as my Vice Presidential candidate.

“I look forward to travelling our great country together, engaging with all Nigerians and building a shared future of peace, unity, and prosperity for all. As One We Can Get It Done. #OneNigeria.”

Earlier, Okowa was welcomed to the PDP’s headquarters for the party’s Vice Presidential screening in Abuja on Thursday with congratulatory remarks.

Apart from Okowa, others reportedly shortlisted are Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike and the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

Abubakar on Saturday, May 28, emerged as the PDP candidate for 2023 presidential election.

Abubakar scored 371 votes to emerge as the party’s candidate defeating his close contender, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers, who polled 237 votes.

Born on November 25, 1946, in Jada, Adamawa, Abubakar ran for Governor of the state three times in 1990, 1997 and 1998, when he was elected before becoming the running mate to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, which he remained the vice president till 2003.

Abubakar contested for the office of the president several times, including 2014 when he ran on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and lost in the primaries to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, had submitted a bill to the state house of assembly on the abolishment of pension payments to former governors and their deputies, a move he said would cut cost of governance.

Speaking on Wednesday, in Asaba, the state capital, Okowa said he cannot introduce the policy. “There is an existing law in Delta state on what accrued to the governors and their deputies, that I don’t want to touch.

“We are not thinking in that direction, my counterpart in Lagos may have reasons why he wants the law repealed but we in Delta don’t want to go into that.

“I don’t want to comment on the decision of Lagos State Governor. Each state has the power to make a decision concerning its governance.”

Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, had commended Sanwo-Olu for the initiative and advised governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC) to do same.

Details of pension and entitlements of former governors of other states in the country can be found HERE

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In a tweet on Wednesday, Okowa said they will remain in isolation, and he asked the people of the state for prayers.

“My wife and I have tested positive for COVID-19. We are well and continuing with our isolation/medication,” the governor tweeted.

“We thank you all for your continued prayers for us and our daughter.”

The development is coming five days after one of their daughters tested positive for the disease.

The governor and his wife went into isolation following the confirmation of their daughter’s case.

Olisa Ifeajika, Okowa’s spokesman, asked residents to follow guidelines provided by the ministry of health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

“Citizens are advised to be disciplined and comply with the protocols of wearing Face Masks and maintaining physical-distancing while in public places as well as basic hygiene of hand-washing with soap in running water and use of alcohol-based sanitisers as NCDC regulation demands,” Ifeajika said in statement last week.

Okowa is the fifth governor who has tested positive for COVID-19. The other governors are Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state; Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo. El-Rufai, Makinde and Mohammed have all recovered from the disease.

So far, 965 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Delta. The state has the seventh highest number of cases in the country.

The country has recorded 25,694 cases of the disease, according to figures provided by the NCDC.

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In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/19/2020 filed last Friday, SERAP is seeking: “an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus to direct and/or compel the 36 state governors to publish names and number of former governors and other officials that have received pensions and the total amounts received between 1999 and 2019 and have at the same time served and/or serving as members of the National Assembly.”

The suit followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information (FoI) requests dated 9th December, 2019 to the governors, expressing concern that: “granting pension for life to ex-governors and other officials represents the use of public office to advance private interests, suggests the misuse of legitimate discretion for improper reasons, and has created a more cynical public view of politics and politicians.”

According to SERAP, only two governors—Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and Kwara state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq—have responded to its FoI requests. Although Okowa directed his Head of Service to send the details requested, no information was received as at the time of filing the suit.

SERAP also said: “governor Abdulrazaq provided a copy of the pension law and list of former governors and ex-officials receiving pensions in Kwara State under the state’s Governor and Deputy Governor (Payment of Pension) Law, 2010, naming Cornelius O. Adebayo; Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi; Sayomi Simon Adediji; Bukola Saraki; and Ogundeji Joel Afolabi as recipients of life pensions in the state. However, the governor did not state the amounts that have so far been collected, and whether the state would pursue recovery of the pensions paid.”

According to the Kwara state pension law (as amended), governors and deputy governors “from the year 1967 shall be entitled to pension for life at the rate equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent and other benefits as provided by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission. The pension shall include: furnished 5-bedroom duplex, 300% for furniture replaceable every 4 years; free medical treatment for governor and deputy governor and their immediate families; car maintenance; drivers [pensionable]; house maintenance; and two cars for the governor in addition to 1 pilot car to be replaced every 3 years.”

The Kwara state pension law also provides that: “governor and deputy governor shall be entitled to domestic staff including cook, steward, gardener and two other domestic staff who shall be pensionable. Governor shall be entitled to 2 SSS detail and 1 female officer, in addition to 8 policemen. Deputy governor shall be entitled to 1 SSS detail in addition to 2 policemen.”

According to SERAP: “both governor Okowa and governor Abdulrazaq did not in their responses make any commitment to repeal the pension laws in their states and to seek refund of the pensions already collected by former governors and other ex-officials.”

SERAP’s suit is coming on the heels of the landmark judgment delivered last week by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Lagos ordering the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting former governors and other ex-public officials to collect such pensions.

The judgment followed the invalidated pension law for former governors and other ex-public officers in Zamfara State, which provided for the upkeep of ex-governors to the tune of N700 million annually. The state has produced three former governors since 1999.

SERAP is also seeking “a declaration that the failure of the 36 state governors to provide SERAP with the requested information on Pension Law in their respective states as requested constitutes a breach of SERAP’s right under the FoI Act, 2011, and for such further order(s) the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “There is a statutory obligation on the 36 state governors, being public officials, to proactively keep, organize and maintain all information or records about its operations, personnel, activities and other relevant or related information or records such as payment of pensions to former governors, in a manner that facilitates public access to such information or record.”

“The public interest in the disclosure of details of payment of pensions to former governors and names of the recipients of such pensions sought by SERAP outweighs any private interest the 36 state governors may be protecting.”

“The suit is in the national interest, public welfare, public interest, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability. There is no justifiable reason for the governors to refuse to provide SERAP with the details of payment of pensions and other related information requested.”

“Public officials should not encourage, sustain, or implement jumbo pension laws that show an appearance of conflict of interest, impropriety or create situation of personal enrichment. The pension law negates the duty to act honestly and to represent the needs and concerns of the people, and to refrain from activities, which interfere with the proper discharge of public functions.”

“Those who manage the resources of the state ought to protect the interest of the people in their states. Public officials while entrusted with duties and discretions are not to act in their own best interest, but to discharge those duties and exercise those powers in the interests of the public.”

“The duties on public officials including governors flowing from their position as trustees to the public also include the duty to refrain from activities which interfere with the proper discharge of their functions, and the duty not to place themselves in a position where public duty conflicts with private interest.”

“By Sections 2(3)(d)(V) & (4) of the FoI Act, there is a binding legal duty to ensure that documents containing information relating to any life pension law for former governors and other senior ex-officials and the details of payments to such officials over the years are widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means.”

“The right to truth allows Nigerians to gain access to information essential to the fight against corruption. This is in line with the Government’s anti-corruption strategy of citizen involvement in the fight against corruption. Access to information will ultimately foster development of democratic institutions in Nigeria.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

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The party also claimed that Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, are also in the know of the plot.

Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta, both justices of the supreme court, who were among the judicial officials arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) had accused Amaechi of attempting to bribe them.

In separate statements, they said the minister threatened to deal with them for not influencing the court rulings of election cases in some south-south states, an allegation Amaechi denied.

However, Davies Ikanya, chairman of the APC in Rivers, said through investigations, those behind the plot to nail Amaechi have been unraveled.

“The allegations against minister of transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by Justice Inyang Okoro and Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court have been linked to several top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders,” he said in a statement.

“The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, the governor of Delta State Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Akwa Ibom State Udom Emmanuel and the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom state who’s now the Senate Leader, Godswill Akpabio (all PDP leaders) have been linked to the Supreme Court Justices’ allegations against Amaechi.”

Ikanaya accused “these big four PDP politicians” of being the ones who actually influenced the justices to deliver judgement in their favour.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari was the main target of the opposition politicians, but that they want to start with Amaechi.

“These big four PDP politicians are said to be the biggest spenders who allegedly induced and bribed the Supreme Court justices with hefty sums of money to get favorable judgements. They are said to be the major sources of the money, wealth and properties that has been traced by the DSS to Justices Okoro and Ngwuta,” Ikanya said.

“These PDP bigwigs are said to have advised the Justices to drag Amaechi into their arrest and investigation by the DSS. They believe doing so would muddle the waters, divert the media and public attention from the corruption allegations against them and make the whole arrest and investigations look like a political vendetta against the Justices.

“Our findings indicate that they told the Justices that the Buhari government is after them, wants to bring them down, and that they must drag Amaechi down as well.

“They deceived the Justices to think and believe that Amaechi is the one behind their travails because of some State governorship electoral matters the apex court handled, that the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost. Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta governorship election appeals were cited to hoodwink Justices Okoro and Ngwuta into believing that Amaechi orchestrated their arrest and investigation.

“And Amaechi was targeted because the four of them – Wike, Akpabio, Udom and Okowa – see Amaechi as a big threat to their political ambitions and calculations ahead of 2019 elections. All four are from the South-South region, just like Amaechi.

“They are scared of Amaechi, his closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari and they are afraid that Amaechi continual towering presence in the Buhari administration would truncate their plans and calculations for 2019.

“They want to damage Amaechi irreparably and destroy him politically. The ultimate target is President Buhari, and to get to the President, the conspiracy is to take out Amaechi, first. Furthermore, our investigations reveal that all four PDP leaders hold one grudge or another against Amaechi. They desperately seek to destroy him. But they will fail.”

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It was gathered that the party submitted the name to INEC before the December 26 deadline lapsed.

Maku had claimed that the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship election in Nasarawa State was rigged, citing gross intimidation of delegates. He vowed to win the February 2015 governorship election in the state without the PDP.

“Since they think they can shortchange the names of delegates and intimidate them, we will see how they can shortchange and intimidate the members of the public,” he said.

Other candidates submitted by the party as governorship candidates are the APGA National Secretary, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi who is gunning for the Zamfara governorship position, former Minister of Interior, Emmanuel Iheanacho, for Imo State, Senator Anthony Agbo, Ebonyi State, and the former Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Alex Otti, Abia State. Meanwhile the names of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) submitted to INEC are Akinwumi Ambode, for Lagos State, Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun, Dakuku Peterside, Rivers, Aminu Bello Masari, Katsina, and Tanko Al-Makura for Nasarawa.

The Labour Party has also submitted the name of Adebayo Aloa-Akala as its candidate for Oyo State, and Tonye Princewill as candidate for Rivers. The Progressives Peoples Alliance also sent the name of Chikwem Udensi as its candidate for Abia State.

The list of governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as obtained by Sunday Independent are Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, whose name has been sent to INEC in spite of wide protests against his candidature. Others PDP candidates are Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for Enugu State, Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State, the Chairman of Independent Newspapers Limited, Gambo Lawan, for Borno, Okezie Ikpeazu, for Abia, and Dave Umahi, Ebonyi.

Former Minister of Police Affairs, Maina Waziri, emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for Yobe State, while former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Darius Isiaku, had his name sent to INEC as the PDP candidate for Taraba State.

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