Otuaro Plans For Peaceful PDP Congress For Delta South

Political Leader of Delta South Senatorial District/Zone and Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, weekend, mobilized leaders of the senatorial zone towards achieving hitch-free Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congresses coming up next Tuesday in the state.

In the meeting in Warri attended by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Senator James Manager, Sir Simeon Efenudu amongst a mammoth crowd of other party bigwigs, Otuaro read out the zoning of positions to be vied for by each of the four federal constituencies in the district/zone.

Otuaro, who called for emergence of credible candidates, emphasized that the zoning arrangement which he said was a product of painstaking critical stakeholders deliberations was to enhance rancour-free congresses and sustain the peace and harmony that characterized the earlier ward and local government area congresses of the party in the state.

The arrangement, he said, represented "a paradigm shift to the people being part of the process of electing their leaders".

The present zoning arrangement, he further stressed, "took into cognizance of fact that certain positions had been enjoyed by other constituencies in the past" .

Confirming the decision to be well considered one, Otuaro rolled out the zoning arrangement to the endorsement by all, even as he appealed for compliance for peace that will keep the party ahead.

Warri Federal Constituency will produce the Deputy State Chairman, Assistant State Secretary, Assistant Publicity Secretary and Senatorial Woman Leader in the zoning arrangement while Burutu Federal Constituency will produce the Senatorial PDP Chairman and one ex-officio member.

From Bomadi Federal Constituency will emerge Treasurer, Assistant Youth Leader, Assistant Financial Secretary and an ex-officio member while the Isoko Federal Constituency will claim the Legal Adviser and State Youth Leader.

Other political leaders present include Honourables Dan Reyenieju, Nicholas Mutu, Julius Pondi, Leo Ogor, Dr. Plus Sinebe, Hon. Preyor Oboro, Omimi Esquire, Hon. Tam Brisibe, Chief Wellington Okrika, Chief Etaluku, Barr. David Ekereokosu, Hon Moro Donbraye, Deinghan Macaulay and Comrade Elijah Ologe.

Others present includes State House of Assembly members from the zone, former and present Commissioners from the zone, party Chairmen from all local government areas, amongst several others.

2016 Budget Passage Scandal Rocks Delta Assembly As DESOPADEC MD Threatens To Resign Over Speaker's Harassment

The Delta state House of Assembly led by controversial Speaker, Monday Igbuya is currently embroiled in a 2016 budget passage scandal running into several billions of naira.

Reliable sources at the Assembly who confided on Bigpenreports alleged that several government agencies and ministries in the state are seriously under pressure by the House of Assembly leadership to grease their palm before the budget would be pass.

The source claimed that the Speaker had given the agencies/ministries options to either give a percentage of their overall budget as honorarium to House members or agree to a certain terms in the award of contracts to House members before their 2016 budget which is presently under screening could be pass into law.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had late last year presented N265 billion budget proposal for the 2016 fiscal year to the Delta State House of Assembly, thus setting the stage for agencies/ministries to commence the budget defence procedures of the House.

Dependable sources said that in all the ministries and parastatals, the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), which is currently under intense pressure by the House leadership was allocated the lion share of N28 billion; while education is allocated N10.1 billion; the state job and wealth creation scheme is allocated the sum of N2.296 billion. Others sector of the economy like transport sub-sector got, N15.421 billion and the Health sector receives N5.9 billion.

Bigpenreports was told that DESOPADEC which is one among the agency of the state government where politicians scramble after juices contracts is currently under the grip of former governor Chief James Ibori who had influenced the appointment of his protege as Managing Director.

Sources revealed that the Managing Director of DESOPADEC, Olorogun Williams Makinde, who the source said was surprised about how things were being run by the House leadership has threatened to resign his position in the commission following the quibble between him and Igbuya over the commission's  budget.

Makinde's aide who confided on Bigpenreports said that the MD was miffed by how Igbuya have been mounting pressure on him that giving honorarium before budget passage was a normal thing that ministries and agencies do and that DESOPADEC was not an exception.

Sources said that Makinde, a protege of former governor of the state, Chief James Onanefe Ibori had gone as far as London to personally report the development to Ibori who is serving jail term at the UK prison for money laundering offences.

The source said that Makinde, who was a  former PDP national treasurer, and Executive Director Finance and Administration at the Daar Communication Group, had complained to Ibori to call Igbuya to order otherwise he was prepared to resign from the position if doing Igbuya's bid was the only option for DESOPADEC budget to be passed.

"Makinde see it as a slap on him and Ibori for Igbuya, a political tout who by coincidence ascended leadership of the House to be demanding percentage of DESOPADEC budget before it could be pass", the source said.

The source who said that he was however not aware if Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was aware of the development which is currently generating some ripples, however said that former governor Ibori had waded into the matter.

"The pressure from the speaker, Mr. Monday Igbuya was becoming unbearable for him so he decided to call Ibori and travel to London to complain to him to call Igbuya to order.

"Makinde is loyal to Ibori and so if there is any arrangement like that it must come from Ibori or his approval must be sought.

"Igbuya cannot just start ordering Makinde to agree on this kind of thing without Ibori's consent you know.

"Currently, I don't know if the governor is aware of the matter but I am sure the governor would be offended if it is brought to his notice", the source added.

All efforts by Bigpenreports to get comments from the media aides of the Speaker, Mr. Felix Ekwu who promised to get across to his boss and the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. Henry Ovie Ebireri proved abortive as at the time of filing this report.