Delta Governorship Appeal Ruling Bribery Scandal
The Executive Committee of Delta United for Change (DUC), of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State and its Chief Convener, Chief Ayiri Emami (The Akulagba of Warri Kingdom) who is also the APC Delta Chairman of Contacts Committee, condemned what it termed "Junk Political Propaganda" alleged to have been sponsored by the fast dwindling structure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, few days to the landmark judgment of the Appeal Court ruling in the on going governorship election legal tussle.
The group in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Olorogun (Barrister) Jaro Egbo and Media and Publicity Secretary, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe said the State government through its rascal media consultant, Mr. Oghenedoro Samson Tega aka Fejiro Oliver of the Secretreporters, a mushroom online news-portal, maliciously disclosed that the President Buhari's administration already plan for the sack of Gov. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State from government house through a N40 billion bribe offered the newly assigned Honourable Justices that would deliver judgment on Thursday in Abuja.
The Group further captured its position thus:
"The APC group recalled that heavy media publicity was sponsored by the State government to polish the image of Gov Okowa and the PDP when President Buhari took him along recently to attend a summit in India.
"The media hype suggested that Okowa and Mr President are best of friends and were alleged to be striking certain foreign inflow agricultural investment deals cum political alignment to undermine the relevance of the State APC and its candidate, Olorogun Otega Emerhor because of the State governor's perceived political clout and developmental drive anchored on the yet to materialize 'Prosperity for all Deltans" visionless economic policy.
"It is therefore surprising, foolish and morally impotent for the same PDP and Okowa media team to swallow their claims of Okowa's political synergy with President Buhari to now recklessly and stupidly accuse the APC National Government of a ploy to use unconstitutional means to sack the governor of Delta State who they earlier claim to be President Buhari's favourite Governor in Nigeria.
"It is hereby started without fear of intimidation that facts which emerged from the governorship tribunal ruling chaired by Justice Nasiru Gunmi did not meet the expectations of the State Chapter of our great party and its candidate, Olorogun Otega Emerhor hence there was the need for us to approach a superior court of justice to further adjudicate on the facts in issue and peruse the entire proceedings of the tribunal so as to determine whether or not substantial justice was dispensed.
"It will be recalled that there were rumours and allegations before the tribunal ruling that the Respondents were hell bent on premature termination of the petitioners case via frivolous legal technicalities that did not pass legal x-ray.
"It was at the point of judgment that a reputable online news portal, Saharareporters through accurate and credible investigation published that there were ongoing arrangements wherein the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly asked its members to contribute certain huge amount of money to compliment state government funds to compromise some members of the tribunal panel.
"It turned out that all PDP candidates in the State Assembly and National Assembly members got their elections sustained by the tribunal as rightly predicted by the online media, Saharareporters.
"It remains a truism that Saharareporters have exposed high profile corruption cases in Nigeria, one of which led to the sack of the then Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah now a serving minister on the ticket of the PDP.
"The report posted on social media by the Secretreporters known for gossip materials and blackmail lacked professional strategies, verifiable facts and naked partiality. Secretreporters is known to be an extension of the Chief Press Secretary office of the Delta State Government and as will always commit blunders.
"Secretreporters cheap attempt to drag the reputation of the President of Nigeria and our great party into an issue that is before the office of the highly respected President of the Court of Appeal is pitiable and Fejiro Oliver should not forget in a hurry his ordeal with the State Security Service (SSS) in Niger State when he engaged in a similar suicide mission in the guise of investigative Journalism. It was Gov Okowa then a Senator who came to his rescue. He would have spent the rest of his life in SSS underground cell or Prison.
"Delta United for Change hereby reassure Nigerians that there is no iota of truth in the alleged N40 billion tribe by President Buhari to influence Appeal Court Judges to pervert the course of justice in favour of APC Delta, any Nigerian, non-Nigerian and Corporate entities in the performance of their constitutional functions.
"However, if there are verifiable facts, valid and weighty evidence that the Honourable Justices of the Appeal Court in Benin or that the Justice Gunmi Tribunal panel soiled their wigs while discharging their duties as per the Delta governorship elections matter, no amount of sponsored media rascality, blackmail, intimidation and political propaganda that can save the offenders and those found to have conspired to commit financial crimes and breach of professional conduct for Judicial Officers.
"There are bodies and professional disciplinary committees within the Bench and the National Judicial Commission (NJC) that will painstakingly deal with the issues and make appropriate recommendations for sanctions and other disciplinary measures depending on the degree of professional misconduct.
"APC DELTA is a moving political train that cannot be stopped mid-way until it arrives at the appropriate station.
"Our final destination is to occupy Delta State Government House to provide good governance through prudent utilization of financial and material resources to the overall development of the three senatorial districts (South, North and Central). It is our strong desire to end the massive looting of the commonwealth of our people.
We are determined to reclaim the mandate given to the APC by the good people of Delta State" The statement added.