Okowa constitutes handover committee, says membership not appointment

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has approved the constitution of Inauguration Committee to coordinate a smooth transition to the next administration in the state.

Announcing the constitution of the Committee at a news conference in Asaba, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said the Committee headed by Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah, has the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr Eddy Ogidi-Gbegbaje, as Secretary.

He, however, stated that membership of the committee and sub-committees was not an automatic qualification for appointment into the next administration in the state, advising against “entitlement mentality” being associated with membership of the committee.

“You are very much aware that the Okowa administration is winding down and in about a month or couple of weeks, we will be heralding a new administration.

“As it is customary, we have put up a Committee to carry out a number of activities to ensure a smooth transition.

“What is trending in the Social Media is as if those who have been appointed into the main Committee and sub-committees have been given appointment in the new administration.

“We want to make it very clear that those appointed into the committees have only been asked to come and work for the purpose of seeing a smooth transition from the Okowa administration to the next administration.

“It does not mean that they are the ones that worked more than any other person. It does not also suggest that they are much more important than any other person.

“You know that if everybody who contributed to the success of the election were to be considered it means we will have a committee that will be more than a million,” he said.

Aniagwu appealed to party faithful who felt agitated for not being appointed into the committees to know that their assignment is just to midwife the process of a smooth transition.

“It doesn’t suggest that these persons who have been appointed have been automatically engaged by the new administration nor does it undermine the effort of every other person who did not see their names in the different committees.

“There are individuals who contributed very immensely to the success of the election and I can assure you that both the outgoing and incoming administrations take very serious cognisance of those efforts and in due course, the good Lord will instigate a process where they will be rewarded.

“Appointment into the Committee is just to midwife these processes that will culminate in the eventual handover to the next administration.

“So we appeal to our brothers to note that the Committee will not work in isolation and they will be reaching out to a number of people to assist them carry out the task,” he explained.

He urged Deltans to continue their support for the Okowa administration not only to May 29 but to the incoming Oborevwori administration adding that the success of Okowa will advance the state.

Eid ul Fitri: Jimoh Ibrahim congratulates Muslims

•Urges them to uphold peace, love

The Ondo South Senator-elect, and billionaire business mogul, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, CFR has sent message of felicitations to Muslim faithful in Ondo South, Ondo State and Nigeria in general, felicitating them on the occasion of the Eid ul Fitri Celebration 2023.

Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, in a statement he personally signed and made available to the press by his Media aide, Bola Olagbegi, noted that Ramadan fasting is a significant season of piety in which the faithful penitently seek Allah’s face, living a life of discipline and abstinence from all wordly encumbrances that can distract them from focusing on the injunction of Allah, the most benevolent.

The Ondo South Senator-elect charged the Muslims not to go back on all the lessons of Ramadan and all the good virtues they have learnt during the period, adding that the Eid ul Fitri Celebration offers another special opportunity for Nigerians to pray for Nigeria particularly as the nation is preparing to transit from one civilian government to another.

“As we celebrate Eid-el-Fitri, it is my hope and prayer that the spiritual lessons of Ramadan and the Holy Prophet’s teachings of piety, love, justice, fairness, equity, peaceful co-existence with others, tolerance, honesty and dedication to duty will remain with us all for the benefit and greater glory of our dear nation.

“May the lessons and blessings of the Holy Month also permeate all national endeavors and positively influence our attitudes towards our fellow men and women, irrespective of religion or origin and promote greater commitment to the peace, unity and stability of the nation.

The Araba of Ikaleland and Founder University of Fortune, Igbotako therefore wished all Muslim faithful Eid Mubarak, while praying Allah to grant them many more years in good health to experience the Ramadan.