By Festus Ahon

ASABA—Delta State Government has described as ridiculous, mischievous and in bad taste, attempts to link Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to an alleged diversion of $10 million bailout funds released by the Federal Government.

The government, in a statement through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah said: “We find it ridiculously tasteless and mischievous. This can only be part of the unrelenting campaign of calumny and the ceaseless peddling of pernicious propaganda against the person and office of the Delta State Governor. For the record, the state government has severally in the past given account of how the bailout fund the state got from the Federal Government was used. We will not repeat ourselves here.

Gov Ifeanyi Okowa

“Governor Okowa is a responsible family man and a well respected public figure. His preoccupation has been and continues to be how to deliver on his promised S.M.A.R.T agenda to the good people of Delta State since he came into office. He has received applause and commendations from far and near for being so focused and unrelenting in the pursuit of his vision for the state.

“He will not be distracted by any form of organised and orchestrated blackmail from any quarter. God willing, he will continue to deliver on his promises. But we wish to sound this note of warning, that if those who are bent on carrying out their devious and dubious campaign of calumny against the governor refuse to stop their infamous trade, we reserve the right to take any action deemed appropriate to seek redress”.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has described as cruel and disgraceful, the alleged diversion of the said amount.

APC, in a statement by its Acting Publicity Secretary, Mr Leonard Obibi, alleged that the money was “wired or hauled in tranches to beat the nation’s Financial Intelligence Unit, FIU. Recently, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, confirmed that 16 states are yet to disburse about N57.6 billion of the bailout funds.