N2.8b spent on LG polls, says Delta government, APC disagrees

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has faulted Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s claim that the state government spent N2.8 billion in the council poll held on January 6, 2018.

The party said spending that much on council election that was replete with crisis and alleged electoral malpractices, painted the picture of a corrupt government.

Reacting to the claim, Ovie Omo-Agege and Great Ogboru, in a statement accused Governor Okowa of turning democracy on its head, particularly in the January 6, 2018 council election.

They, however, disassociated themselves from the suposed victory of some APC councillorship candidates, saying the election was rife with rigging.

Ogboru and Omo-Agege said the election was far from credible, insisting that the N2.8 billion the state government claimed to have spent on the elections was a fraud and another attempt at diverting the state funds to private pockets.

“There was no voting or credible election in most councils, where was the N2.8 billion spent? We demand to know how much was spent on election that was marred with electoral fraud.

“The Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) announced fake results in favour of PDP in 23 councils and rescheduled elections for Ughelli North and Ethiope East councils.

“It is, therefore, surprising that DSIEC declared some APC councillorship candidates winners in the rescheduled elections in some wards in Ughelli North and Ethiope East councils,” they said.

But in a swift reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Charles Aniagwu, said the APC was confused, adding that the party had in the last two years misled Nigerians in its failed agenda.

He, therefore, challenged the party chieftains to provide evidence of their claims.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Team SMART, Sunny Orishedere, has urged Governor Okowa to make his stand on his second term bid for the governorship election known to the people of Delta State.

Orishedare, who spoke to journalists in Asaba, said: “Having reviewed the governor’s performance and his personality since the inception of his administration, I urge him to make his intention to re-contest in 2019 known to the good people of the state.”