By EMMA AMAIZE

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Campaign Council, Delta State, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, said, on Friday, that  Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan did not, at any time, before, during and after the just concluded general elections, make any oath with any person that a particular person from a specific ethnic origin in the state would be appointed as Secretary to the State Government, SSG.

Speaking against the backdrop of a protest by Ijaw women in Warri over the appointment of Comrade Ovuozuorie Macaulay as Delta SSG, Akpeki, who was until recently the state commissioner for orientation and communication, said the demonstration was embarrassing, as the prerogative to appoint anybody to any position, irrespective of ethnic inclination or any other criteria, rests squarely on the governor.

His words, “I can say authoritatively that the state governor did not make any allusion, or explicit statement, whatsoever, that a particular ethnic group had already been penciled down for the high sensitive office of SSG”.

He, therefore, expressed disgust that a sensitive issue like the appointment of SSG, which only the governor has the prerogative to decide upon, would be cheaply politicized and reduced to the uninformed banter of market-women.

Akpeki called for restraint from all and sundry on the issue of the re-constitution of the State Executive Council, SEC, emphasizing that Uduaghan would be fair to all.

He challenged dissenting members of the general public, who were not at home with the  vision and perception of Uduaghan on policy matters, to come out with meticulous evidence to the contrary that the re-elected governor did not commit himself to any pre-election or post-election promise on appointment of SSG.

The former commissioner restated the tradition of the sanctity of the gubernatorial prerogatives of the state governor and charged impatient prospectors for political office to temper their ambition with self-restraint.

He said the governor would not be stampeded into making appointment on ethnic basis, saying the governor’s desire was to appoint the most credible and God -fearing individuals into positions of authority for the speedy attainment of the development vision of government for the greatest majority of the people within the shortest time possible.