Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and his surrogates once again are taking their re-election propaganda and sycophancy to a very dangerous level. The Uduaghan campaign propaganda has resulted to the use of smoke and mirrors, the objective is to deceive Deltans.
Ironically, it is this same evil stratagem that has continued to derail Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, obviously, he has lost focus from advancing the wheels of development in the state.
On Thursday, March, 24th, 2011, an aircraft landed on the yet to be completed N40 billion Asaba International Airport, all in a bid to confuse unsuspecting Deltans who are at loss with its progression. Before this deceptive event which was described “remarkable” by Governor Uduaghan and his loyalists, an impeccable government house source confided in this writer that the governor had concluded all necessary financial arrangement with an aircraft company to land on the controversial airport in order to deceive Deltans and attract sympathy during the upcoming April polls.
My source also alleged that the pilot of the aircraft which is owned by Overland Aviation Ltd, Captain Edward Boyo, and Managing Director of the company had confided in him what transpired before the company could agree to use its aircraft to land on the airport.
In all ramifications, the “kangaroo and arrangee” landing of the aircraft no doubt means that the airport is fully ready for business as this was packaged as a test-run. On facebook, one of Uduaghan’s aides, Mr. Sunny Areh said couldn’t hide the plot, “Before I left for Lagos today there was wild jubilation in Asaba but I cautioned that it was the first test-run, a harbinger of the real thing that will happen in no distant time. That it was a successful test-run could make some of us to be effusive, as I am now, if you understand what I mean.”, Areh is no stranger to this form of propaganda, he was James Ibori’s special assistant for media for several years until the former governor disappeared from the Nigerian political landscape recently.
It should be noted, however, that on a recent political rally at Ubiarukru, governor Uduaghan told Deltans, that the airport was yet to be completed and the completion of an airport usually takes up to seven –eight years and promised to complete the airport if re-elected. So, this kamikazee test run flights were just desperate bid to attract votes from the people of Delta State. The governor arranged the landing of an aircraft on the most controversial airport in Nigeria, just because he knows he has failed Deltans in his four years of a largely corrupt and inhumane administration.
Also, during the Ubiaruku rally, Dr. Uduaghan told the people not to waste their votes by supporting other parties because he cliamed they have no “record to show” for doing anything. He also dwelt on the criticism of his government, insisting that all those who compare his administration with others forget that he has been in power for only four years and not eight years. He mentioned particularly the Asaba International Airport.
Governor Uduaghan has made everyone believe that his government had the midas touch and that he was the best thing that has ever happened to Delta State but in actual truth, he has failed the people of this great state, repeatedly. Uduaghan has been on the corridors of power for 12 years in a row, first serving in various capacities as former governor Ibori strongman.
This writer who was at the airport to witness the phony landings of aircrafts discovered that the airport is no way near completion as been sold to the world by the governor and his cohorts.
The second day of Uduaghan’s test-run of the airport saw the hiring of crowds of women and youths who besieged the airport with their usual dancing regalia and drums but some of the rented women and youths at the airport expressed shock and surprise, according to them what Governor Uduaghan is showcasing to Deltans is far different from what is on ground.
One of the women who simply gave her name as ‘Madam Nkem’ and another youth named Benjamin told this reporter that all what Uduaghan is doing is just political gimmick which at the end will have a negative impact on the growth of Delta State.
One of the staff handling the airport project said everybody was surprised and shocked when they woke up one morning to see aircrafts landing on the runway of the airport that is not near completion adding that apart from the runway which is half ready nothing else is completed or operational.
According to the staff, the tower, tarmac, fire service office, airport communication equipments and navigational aids and other departments are not ready, not to talk of commencement of commercial business at the airport. He went on to state that billions of naira have gone into the project yet nothing on the ground matches the billions spent.
“Mark my word if Uduaghan leave office today, the contractor, ULO, handling the airport project must be arrested because there are so many things he needs to explain to Deltans and law enforcement agents. We work here and we know all the kind of dirty things happening concerning this airport which they have turned to a drain pipe.”
In fact, during landing of a six passengers aircraft on the second day of the so-called test-run of the airport, the aircraft developed a fault which delay Governor Uduaghan from joining the aircraft to Warri to welcome Mr. President who was visiting the oil city for a meeting with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
When this writer approached the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, at the airport for comment he refused to comment but after much pressure, he said to me, “as you can see the tower, tarmac, fire service office are not ready and what we are doing is just to test-run the runway and in no distance time the airport shall be ready.”
Commenting on the hurriedly arranged aircraft landing at the Asaba airport, a facebook user, Jude Kakpovbia posted a status update on his facebook page stating, “The first Aircraft has landed at the Asaba International Airport today - finally. The pilot of the aircraft which is owned by Overland Aviation Ltd, Captain Gilbert Sampa said the landing was smooth. Thank God for journey mercies. My question is - Why today? We only have a week to the elections. Well, I know as much as all Deltans do that this is strictly a Political strategy that Airport is far from being ready for any International flight. Whatever you guys want to prove to justify your looting please go ahead. We are watching.”
All the positive titles has been exhausted on Uduaghan by sycophants and his hirelings, they have called him, “The Golden Governor; The Action Governor; The People’s Governor; Development Personified, First class Medical Doctor, etc.”, but yet nothing to show to at least convince Deltans that indeed the corrupt and inept governor much vilified by health workers such as doctors, nurses and casual workers has done anything worthy for the state except celebrating an uncompleted airport project.
As expected Dr. Uduaghan is afraid of goinhg for another election in April, that’s why he hurriedly approached the Federal High Court for tenure elongation so that there will be no elections in the state. But there is no hiding place following the recent ruling of the federal high court Asaba, Uduaghan must now go to the field and test his popularity .
I have recently conducted a straw poll across the state which revealed that Dr. Uduaghan is not needed by the people of delta State and if at the end of the day, he is returned to the government house in the upcoming election either by crook or hook, God in his infinite mercy will still prevail and humiliate him from office adding that no matter how long it will take God will do it for the people of Delta state.
In a nutshell, Governor Uduaghan must among other questions answer the following queries.
(a) Where has he kept all the budgets and his often supplementary budgets monies? It is on record that his government has frequently sent supplementary budgets to the state House of Assembly when even the need did not arise,
(b) Where are the projects for which he claims he has expended the tax payers monies? As I talk Delta State has no single functional factory.
Recently questioning Governor Uduaghan on the revenue and expenditure of the state from 29th, May 2007 – 31st October, 2010, a deltan, Stephen Dieseruvwe, questioned on facebook that “The amounts spent on major projects which need some clarifications are: 1. Asaba - Ughelli Dualisation - N16.2billion (What percentage of the road has been completed) ?
2. State Independent Power Project - N15.75billion (when is the completion period)?
3. Osubi Airport - N1.33billion (How much work was done)?
4. International Event Centre - N3.4billion (What is the revenue stream for this centre)? 5. Mass Transit - N2.8billion (Was this to buy cars and buses) ?
6. Oghara Hospital - N7.4billion (what was this for)
7. Warri Industrial Park - N799million (Where is the site? and what work done has been done).
Deltans need answers.”
Speaking of the evil associated with the kind of politics and politicking been played by Governor Uduaghan, his cohorts and some politicians, the Bible says: “Justice? You high and mighty politicians don’t even know the meaning of the word! Fairness? Which of you has any left? Not one! All your dealings are crooked: You give “Justice” in exchange for bribes. These men are born sinners, lying from their earliest words! They are poisonous as deadly snakes, cobras that close their ears to the most expert of charmers? O God, break off their fangs. Tear out the teeth of these young lions, Lord.
Let them disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands. Let them be as snails that dissolve into slime, and as those who die at birth, who never see the sun. God will sweep away both old and young. He will destroy them more quickly than a cooking pot can feel the blazing fire of thorns beneath it. The godly shall rejoice in the triumph of right; they shall walk the blood-stained fields of slaughtered wicked men. Then at last everyone will know that good is rewarded, and that there is a God who judges justly here on earth” (Psalms 58:1-11’ TLB).
It is an acknowledged fact that the present government in Delta state led by His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has failed to meet the aspirations of Delta people.
It is a notorious fact that rather than meet the aspirations of the people, the PDP led government of Emmanuel Uduaghan is busy wasting the resources of the state shamelessly and deceiving the innocent people.
Now, the good people of Delta state have taken a definite stand against the Uduaghan led government.
This was made possible when patriotic citizens, masses and leaders in the state have agreed to rescue the people of the state from the valley of under-development, mis-management of leadership, devaluation of leadership and maladministration of Dr. Uduaghan.
Is it not a big shame that Governor Uduaghan who claimed to have provided employment for Delta state masses with the taxing of Deltans by purchasing employment forms in Banks and as I talk to you all the money collected from Deltans to purchase forms for employment at the yet to be completed airport have gone down the drain because no single employment has been given to the suffering and innocent job seekers. As at this feature no terminal work has near completion at the airport before the desperate governor commenced test flight on the airport just to attract sympathy votes for himself during the elections.
This article was written By Prince Amour Udemude, a journalist based In Asaba, Delta State (
Princeamour2004@Yahoo.Com Or 08182020504)
