Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members have gone spiritual, praying for the former governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged mismanagement of N1.3 trillion.
Director-General, Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, on behalf of the state government, urged Deltans to “pray for the former governor at this trying time,” saying: “Okowa is innocent until proven guilty.”He said that the arrest of Okowa by EFCC does not fracture his enviable reputation.
Oghenesivbe, who asserted on Monday, said that under the legal principle of presumption of innocence, Okowa may be interrogated and released without criminal prosecution or until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. He noted that the EFCC usually invite suspects based on criminal allegations, which may be true or false, and the law recognises the innocence of all accused persons until proven otherwise.
The Bureau Chief further stated that in the instant case, the former governor made himself available to EFCC, and did not abscond from Nigeria, as we are made to understand in some cases under investigation.
Oghenesivbe, who was Okowa’s Executive Assistant on Communications from 2017 to May 29, 2023, appealed to the good people of Delta State to keep their fingers crossed and pray for Okowa, because he may be innocent after EFCC’s investigation.
But the National Convener, Police Community Partnership and South-South Zonal Acting Chairman of Huride, Anthony Asakitikpi, applauded EFCC for arresting the former governor, noting that “all enemies of Delta must be brought to book.”
MEANWHILE, the Delta State All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, has described Okowa’s arrest by EFCC “as the right step in the right direction.” The Delta APC Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, in a statement in Asaba, yesterday, said: “This arrest by EFCC marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability and good governance in the country, particularly Delta State.
“The administration of Okowa, who served as Governor of Delta State from 2015 to 2023, is one of unmitigated disaster to befall the state since its inception as it witnessed mass looting of state resources and other corrupt practices that have left the state’s economy in a perilous state.
“It is, therefore, commendable to know that these allegations of financial recklessness, which have long been a source of concern for the people of Delta State, are now being thoroughly investigated by the EFCC.”
