Mixed reactions from the Ndokwa axis have trailed the recent appointment of the Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas and Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Hon Festus Ochonogor. Some persons appreciated the appointment to be a blessing and welcome development for the people of Ndokwa nation while others condemned it to be a misplaced priority because they felt his being there will not better the people of Ndokwa nation, rather he will see it as an opportunity to enrich himself and his political godfathers.
Investigations have shown that Ndokwa nation is made up of Ndokwa West, Ndokwa East and Ukwuani Local Government Areas, of Delta State.
The appointment of DESOPADEC board was one of the last minute appointments made by the Former Governor of the State His Excellency, Senator (DR) Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, before he left office for his successor, Rt. Hon, Sheriff Oborevwori, as Governor of the State, on May 29, 2023. The appointment of Chief Festus Ochonogor has elicited mixed reactions among his people in Ndokwa nation.
However, some public affairs observers are of the opinion that Ochonogor is a deep rooted party man of the original PDP Family, who will dance to the tune of his political god fathers other believe that the man will take the opportunities of the office to better the lots of his people, of Ndokwa Nation in Delta State. It was gathered that Ndokwa nation is known to be the most politically marginalized ethnic group in the State, despite the fact that it is one of the largest group in the state, which occupies the apex majority position.
The appointment of Chief Ochonogor, an Ndokwa man from Etua Etiti in Utagba Uno in Ndokwa West Local Government Area, is also in good order considering the fact that Ndokwa is one of the major oil and gas producing areas in the nation’s federation.
Sources disclosed that the Former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s DESOPADEC appointment, which saw Chief Festus Ochonogor emerge as its Managing Director and Chief Executive, appears to be Okowa’s way of appeasing Ndokwa people for not carrying them along in the scheme of things in his eight years in office as Governor of Delta State.
Viewing the political scene of the 4th republic of Nigeria’s civil democratic rule, it’s easy to see how badly Ndokwa people have been treated politically and socially in the state since Chief James Ibori’s administration since 1999.
Checks revealed that as at the last count, Delta State has five Universities, three Polytechnics, one College of Education and one University Teaching Hospital while the Federal Government has three Universities, one College of Education and one Polytechnic in Delta state.
These have benefited all the ethnic nationalities in the state, except Ndokwa nation.
Also, a cheering news of a new Federal Polytechinc is waiting to be actualized in Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale, the headquarter of Ndokwa – West Local Government Council, as recently announced by the Former Deputy Senate President Barrister Ovie Omo-Agege, the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.
In every material standard, the leadership of the DESOPADEC, in the position of its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer is a worthwhile appointment of any ethnic group in the oil rich State.
To say the least therefore, the appointment is more to the development trajectory of the ethnic group where the appointee comes from, rather than a mere political settlement to the individual office holder. The billion naira question therefore is; does the appointee, Chief Festus Ochonogor, know and accept the full import of this obvious reality? Chief Festus Ochonogor, the new DESCOPADEC MD/CEO is on record to have properly utilized his high political contacts and earlier appointive positions to better the lots of quite a good number of Ndokwa indigenes, especially in the area of senior and junior employment positions, thereby contributing meaningfully to soci-economic empowerment of Ndokwa people.
Ochonogor is a centre stage political player who is more visible in the People Democratic Party (PDP) insider politics in the state, rather than playing electoral game of the Delta politics.
After Governor James Ibori assumed office as the state Governor in 1999, Ochonogor became the 2nd member position of the Delta State SPEB, where he facilitated the appointment of Engr. Felic Omosor and Engr. Macbeth Ajieh, among others in the board.
He is known to be one of the political operators under Late Senator Patrick Osakwe and Hon. Emeke Ukpe, then the Executive Chairman of Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.
At the end of Governor Ibori’s administration, Chief Ochonogor went into political oblivion under – the – news stage during Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration only to re-emerge as a special Adviser on political matters to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa after the 2015 governorship election. Governor Okowa, obviously his principal political benefactor subsequently appointed him the commissioner For Housing in his second term in office as Governor of Delta State. It was from there that Okowa chose him to pilot the affairs of DESOPADEC as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Some Ndokwa Political watchers are however of the view that Chief Ochonogor, being an establishment man, may not be disposed to using his new position to better the lots of his people of Ndokwa extraction, because he has quite a number of political I.O.U’s to settle to his political godfathers and that as a top PDP insider and player of Delta politics he has failed to leverage on his position to contribute his quota in the reversal of Ndokwa marginalization.
Most persons Scooping the reactions of certain persons from Ndokwa axis, Chief Sunny Nene noted that the appointment was a welcome Development as he advised Chief Ochonogor to carry every part of the State along and ensure Ndokwa is not left behind.
He further said that the Managing Director should use the office to develop Ndokwa Area and ensure all inclusive Government where all the stàkeholders are involved in the administration of the Commission because, the Ijaws, Urobo, Isoko were once there as heads.
Chief Sunny further maintained that Ochonogor should not behave like the past President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who could not use his position to develop the South South region.
Also, a political analyst in the area Ossai Dike disclosed that nothing good will come from Hon Festus Ochonogor, describing him as a man who Specializes in investment of women folks.
He said ” During Ochonogor’s tenure as Commissioner for Housing in the state, the only achievement he made was to sponsor a female Journalist abroad buy car and handed over some properties in his office to his female bedmates”.
Ochonogor should be asked what has he attracted for his town, Etua Etiti in Utagba Uno since he came into the political system of the State. Can he beat his chest to say he empowered any one from his Community? The answer is No.
He said, Ochonogor is a man that is very stingy when it comes to money and this is why he has lost followers in his Constituency, Pointing that his coming as a DESOPADEC boss will not change anything in the area rather it will cause pains for the people.
Some sections of Deltans therefore called on Chief Ochonogor to use his new position to right every wrong in Ndokwa Extraction and ensure that his leadership impact is felt in the whole of the state.
Meanwhile, as the fourth estate of the realm our duties is to place a satellites on his activities as the DESOPADEC Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer to ensure there are tremendous Changes in the Commission.
