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Tag: okowa

  • Tinubu should tell the world how much he collects as Lagos godfather – Okowa’s aide

    Tinubu should tell the world how much he collects as Lagos godfather – Okowa’s aide

    Dr Kingsley Emu, Chief Economic Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has dared the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare how much he gets from the Lagos State Government as a godfather.

    Emu reacted to Tinubu’s comment in Warri last weekend for comparing the development of Lagos to Delta.

    “Tinubu referring to Lagos as an example of development is laughable. The humongous amount of money available to Lagos annually would transform the whole of Nigeria, if well managed. Tinubu should tell the world how much Lagos money he collects monthly as the godfather.”

    “Tinubu, who has become a slurring human contraption castigated Governor Okowa and abused Warri. He pointed at Lagos as a place that has benefitted from development.

    “Tinubu’s idea of Lagos is about a few places that the government of Nigeria built up many years ago. Lagos is not only about Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and other such lush locations. Tinubu’s Lagos is the world’s dirtiest city.

    “Tinubu’s Lagos is the capital of disorder and crime. Tinubu’s Lagos is home to squalor and over 17 million of the city’s 20 million people live in grinding poverty without portable water to drink. Tinubu’s Lagos is a frustrating city without roads befitting its size and revenue accruing to it. So, whom is Tinubu deceiving?” Emu said.

    Recall that the APC presidential candidate said Delta State is not ATM for migratory politicians and the infrastructure in the state was better 30 years ago than it is now.

    Tinubu hits Okowa’s administration and PDP saying: “Delta is among Nigeria’s largest oil and gas producing states. Revenue from oil and gas has historically been the backbone of government revenue and foreign exchange earnings.

    “As such your state and other oil producers have made a one-of-a-kind financial contribution to the building of modern Nigeria. The nation is thankful to you.

    “Delta has all it takes to be great and help lead the nation forward. Yet, for the past 23 years, those governing your state have taken you for a hard and long ride by selling you short. They have not done the things they should have and could have done for you.

    “The infrastructure in the state was better 30 years ago than it is now. The state has recorded historic debts run up by the incumbent, yet the infrastructure and other things still remain lacking because of under-investment and neglect.

    “But Delta State is not an ATM for migratory politicians. It is a place where good and hardworking people reside and work to create decent and peaceful lives for themselves and their families,” he said.

  • 13% Derivation: Okowa’s govt transparent, accountable – Commissioner

    13% Derivation: Okowa’s govt transparent, accountable – Commissioner

    Delta Government on Monday debunked media reports credited to a governor of a South-South state that it had collected refunds from the Federal Government without disclosing it to citizens, saying it had remained committed to transparency and accountability in all its financial dealings on behalf of the people.

    The Commissioner for Finance, Chief Fidelis Tilije, made this known at a news conference in Asaba, while addressing the issues of 13 per cent derivation arrears payment to oil-producing states raised by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers at the weekend.

    Tilije, who was in company with Commissioner for Special Projects, Chief Henry Sakpra and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, said contrary to the “revelation’’ by Wike, Delta had only received N14.7 billion in three quarterly installments of N4.9 billion each.

    According to him, the total amount due to the State from the 13 per cent derivation arrears is N240bn out of which the Federal Government agreed to pay in quarterly installment for a period of five years.

    “With the agreed amounts settled, some states like Rivers approached commercial banks and discounted theirs in full and collected, but Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa said he would not want to leave the next administration with a huge debt burden.

    “He resorted to discounting only N150 billion out of the N240 billion expected receivables but later pruned it down to N100 billion.

    “So far, we have got N14.7 billion in three quarterly installments and we have also accessed N30 billion out of the N100 billion we applied for as bridging finance,” he explained.

    The commissioner stated that contrary to the impression given by Wike that previous administrations in the country refused to pay the money to the oil-producing states, the discovery of the outstanding funds was made by current commissioners for finance in the Niger Delta states.

    “The present Commissioners for Finance of the nine Niger Delta states looked into the books of the NNPC and discovered that 13 per cent derivation was not deducted from subsidy payments and investments in priority projects by the Corporation.

    “We took the matter before the FAAC and National Economic Council and got them to approve the payment in arrears to the affected oil-producing states.

    “It is important to state that this was only discovered under the Buhari administration, which he subsequently approved. It is not that previous PDP administrations refused to pay. It was never discovered then neither was it brought to their notice,” he said.

    Tilije also denied claims by former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, that the state government received over N60 billion on refunds for federal roads projects executed by the state.

  • Asaba Building collapse: A reflection of Okowa’s decadent administration -Omo-Agege

    Asaba Building collapse: A reflection of Okowa’s decadent administration -Omo-Agege

     

    Delta State governorship candidate of the All People’s Congress (APC), and Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has taken a swipe at Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa over the collapse of a building under construction at the Asaba Stephen Keshi Township Stadium, saying it is a reflection of decadence in his government.

    The DSP made this assertion shortly after the incident which recorded three casualties, reportedly in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital, Omo-Agege expressed pain at the nonchalance of the contractors engaged in the construction site.

    He said the character and attitude of the contractors were a reflection of the overall character of the Okowa administration, which he described as cold and unfeeling.

    Omo-Agege recalled a similar incident, a few years ago, in the same Stadium, when an overhead water tank collapsed during a live sporting event and killed one person, much to the embarrassment of Deltans.

    He stressed that lives of Deltans and other Nigerians in the state seem to have lost value under Okowa because of selfish and narrow considerations, ineptitude when engaging professionals, and even in the observation of safety measures at project sites and across the state.

    He questioned if the State government under Okowa was meeting financial obligations to contractors, stating that non release of funds could be an additional cause of the shoddy jobs that litter the state, and which now endanger the lives of Deltans and others within the state.

    He expressed sympathy to those impacted, not only in this case, but by Okowa’s shoddy project governance in the state, and prayed for quick recovery.

    He assured that ugly incidents such as these will be a thing of the past as soon as he becomes governor of Delta State, and urged all Deltans to give the APC the needed support in the 2023 general election.

  • Okowa approves release of N5bn for payment of pension arrears

    Okowa approves release of N5bn for payment of pension arrears

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Monday approved the release of five billion Naira for the payment of pension arrears in the state.

    The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this in a statement in Asaba.

    Aniagwu at a press briefing on Friday hinted that the state government commits over N1.1 billion monthly to settle pension matters in the state.

    The Commissioner also said that the state government was planning to release N10 billion to defray pension arrears, particularly for the Local Government Councils workers in the state.

    On the approval of the release of the N5 billion,  the commissioner said that the sum of N2.5 billion would be deployed to payment of the state retirees’ pension arrears.

    He said the remaining N2.5 billion was released as a grant to the Local Government Pensions Bureau for the payment of Local Government and primary school retirees.

    Aniagwu said that the gesture was part of the government’s efforts to ameliorate the plight of the affected senior citizens in the state.

  • Governor Okowa committed to commissioning of project before end of tenure

    Governor Okowa committed to commissioning of project before end of tenure

    The Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is committed to the completion and commissioning of the Warri/Effurun Flood Control Measure projects, phase I and II handling by Levant Construction Company and CCECC.

    This was disclosed by the Director General, Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency (WUEDA), Comrade. Ovuozourie Macaulay in Warri when visited by the Delta State Project Monitoring Commissioner and his team.

    He mentioned that he has told both Contractors handling the project to see to its completion by February 2023 as the Governor is determined to commission all projects, even as he maintained that the integrity of job must be protected.

    “The project though not yet completed but the impact has already been felt in the environment. In the last two years the cry of flooding has drastically reduced in most affected areas, as most of the areas experiencing flood when it rains heavily were not flooded as usual in the raining season due to the impact of the project ongoing in those areas ” he said.

    “The major cause of flooding in this environment is 80% man made as they have built across the waterways which is a serious challenge to Government, but the Governor is sensitive to the plight of the people and that is why he is determined to see all projects completed and commissioned before he leaves office next year.” he stated.

    In his response, the Honorable Commissioner, Project Monitoring,
    Chief. Tony Ofoni commended the efforts of the Director General, and stressed that he has known him for years as a result oriented leader, even as he expressed satisfaction knowing that most of the ministries are represented in the Agency to help achieve a good job.

    He stressed that the essence of inspecting projects in the state is to ensure that Contractors do a standard job as specification demand, as jobs that does not meet up to the expectation of the Governor will not be accepted.

    “The Governor does not take nonsense, he need result, and a lot of contracts has been invoked for not doing well. Final inspection will be carried out on every project in the State before payment will be made to ensure that project are well executed.” he said.

    The Commissioner expressed satisfaction at the level of work done so far when he visited some of the project sites in Warri and Uvwie, phase I and II respectively, and urged the contractors to put more effort in speeding up the work to ensure that they deliver as at when due.

    Some of the project sites visited by the Commissioner and his team are Eboh road, Okore road by the bridge,
    Ajamimogha link road and PTI Road Effurun.

  • 2023: APC has made Nigeria world capital of poverty -Okowa

    2023: APC has made Nigeria world capital of poverty -Okowa

     

    …says only PDP can reset Nigeria to working ways

    Peoples Democratic Party Vice Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Thursday said the All Progressives Congress, APC has led the country into becoming world poverty capital.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the Delta State PDP Campaign Council in Asaba, Okowa said only a party with relevant experience like the PDP could truly rescue, rebuild and reset the country into working again for the good of citizens.

    He said that with the very poor state of the country only experienced leaders like Atiku Abubakar could bring Nigeria out of the current state of despondency caused by the incompetent and inept APC led Federal Government.

    “There is only one team that can deliver Nigeria out of where we are and that is the Atiku-Okowa ticket.

    “I have looked at all of them and ordinarily they would have been capable in a country that works but we are now in a country that is not working so you need those who know what to do.

    “It is the Atiku-Okowa ticket of the PDP that can take us out of where we are and move us forward.

    “PDP won’t lie to Nigerians, we have a difficult task but working with Nigerians we will get the country working again,” he said.

    He said the APC had led the country into a downward slide and assured the people of PDP’s mission to rescue and rebuild the nation.

    “The APC has not done well for this nation, they have taken us into troubled times, they have made our people lose jobs, our people have lost their businesses, they have led us to insecurity.

    “The only way they can possibly find a pathway to campaign is to lie but it is not good when people come out to lie in such a manner that even the blind will know that they are lying.

    “They lied that we haven’t done anything in Asaba what about the storm drainages that prevented flood water from taking over people’s houses like it used to be in the past?

    “What about the State Secretariat which is the best and most functional we have seen in the country.

    “What about the Dennis Osadebay University, the Film Village and Leisure Park that will be inaugurated in January by our Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar? It will attract a lot of tourists to this state but they can’t see it.

    “What about the roads, the flyover and interchange that we are helping the Federal Government to build?

    “What we need to do is to pray for them that they may see because apparently they are blind and they are not seeing but if you pray for them they will start to see.

    “So let us go put there and convince the people to vote for us because it is a great opportunity to rescue this country and take it up into greater heights.

    “They have driven us down the valley, we want to rise, its a tough task but Atiku Abubakar and I have accepted that working with all PDP members and all stakeholders in Nigeria including the organised private sector collectively we are able to take Nigeria back out of that valley and take it to greater heights,” Okowa stated.

    Governorship candidate of the party and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori commended Okowa for his political sagacity and adroit leadership skills which he had deployed in managing the affairs of the party since 2015.

    He said the massive achievements of Governor Okowa had made campaigns easier for the party in the state.

    He took a swipe at Omo-Agege, saying his tenure as Secretary to the State Government was characterised by parochialism, greed, abuse of power, and undemocratic tendencies.

    Deltans do not need a despot like Omo-Agege, but a liberal, broadminded, and selfless leader like myself who stands for equity and fairness.

    He said his M.O.R.E Agenda: Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace and Security was geared towards consolidating and extending the gains of the current administration.

    “It is designed to continue and expand the infrastructural and human capital development programmes of the Okowa administration.

    “The vision is to keep Delta State ahead in all aspects of social and economic well-being and it is my promise to all Deltans that I will listen more, do more, and achieve more,” he stated.

    State Chairman of the party, Chief Kingsley Esiso said the ceremony marks the commencement of the party’s campaign to the Presidency and Government House Asaba.

    He slammed the Deputy President of the Senate and APC Governorship candidate Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for not using his acclaimed capacity to influence the reconstruction of the various federal roads in the state.

    He said Omo-Agege’s self-acclaimed capacity was to influence projects to his own Orogun community to the detriment of other communities in his Senatorial District.

    He urged members of the Campaign Council to concentrate on their various units, wards and local governments and work hard to woo more people to the party.

    “We have started our campaign that will lead to the rescue and resetting of Nigeria. There is no doubt that the APC has failed Nigerians as prices of commodities have gone beyond the reach of the common man,”

  • Okowa Congratulates Gen Azubuike on Her Elevation in US Army

    Okowa Congratulates Gen Azubuike on Her Elevation in US Army

     

    Delta Governor and Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated a Nigerian, Amanda Azubuike, on her promotion to the rank of Brigadier-General in the United States Army.

    Azubuike, an African-American, was elevated from Colonel to the new rank at a ceremony at a military base in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

    Okowa, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, said that Delta Government and the people were proud of the attainment of Azubuike, describing her as energetic, result-driven and highly-motivated officer.

    He said that the Azubuike was an inestimable pride and immeasurable honour to Nigeria, and expressed appreciation to the US Army authorities for the illustrious Nigeria worthy of such exalted position of Brigadier-General.

    According to the governor, Gen. Azubuike has the requisite experience for her new role having joined the US Army in 1994 and currently serves as a Deputy Commanding Officer at the US Army Cadet Command and previously served as a Chief of Staff/Senior Military Advisor at the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

    He urged the officer to ensure that she continued to be a great ambassador of Nigeria as well as the black race.

    “On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I congratulate a fine military officer and pride of Nigeria, Amanda Azubuike, on her promotion as a Brigadier-General in the US Army.

    “Over the years, Azubuike has by dint of hard work and discipline, established herself as a team-player which has endeared her to her colleagues in the US Army.

    “As you assume your new role as Brigadier-General in the United States Army, your family and indeed, your colleagues in the military and admirers have cause to be grateful to Almighty God for having granted you a life of great accomplishments.

    “We are proud of you and we know that you will continue to be a great ambassador of our great nation, and as your people, we will continue to pray for you for good health and greater attainments,” he stated.

  • 2023: Okowa’s N400bn loans are all tied to his VP ambition not for Deltans – DSP Omo-Agege

    2023: Okowa’s N400bn loans are all tied to his VP ambition not for Deltans – DSP Omo-Agege

     

    …advises him to commit political suicide by pulling out of presidential race

    …as UPU hails Omo-Agege for quality representation

    Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege has said the N400billion loans obtained by Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi are for his vice presidential ambition not for the generality of Deltans.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the DSP made this disclosure when the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU hosted the frontline politician.

    Hear him:

    The Deputy Senate President and Governorship Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Senator Ovie Omo-Agege thanked the UPU for the sound welcome and promised to turn things around when he assume the position of Delta State Governor in 2023, calling on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to commit political suicide before the general elections by withdrawing from the Presidential race for been a traitor to the South.

    “The Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration is amassing loans everyday. When Governor Uduaghan left office, he left N80 billion in debt obligation and people were shouting that he almost destroyed the state.

    “Today, it’s about N400 billion. And these loans are used for something you can see, nobody will quarrel with that. It is not a crime to take loans. America is indebted. It is one of the biggest indebted nations in the world”.

    “Some people have also alluded that ‘You are the Deputy Senate President, Buhari has been taking loans’. Yes, I can tell you what those loans are being used for.

    ” Those loans are tied to projects. They are tied to the completion of rail projects, Lagos-Ibadan Express Road, Abuja-Kaduna Road, Second Niger Bridge and so on. Which projects here in Delta State are these loans tied to? The only project we now know that the loans are tied to is the execution of the 2023 presidential election”.

    “After eight years, the President comes to the North, the VP goes to the South. After another eight years, the President comes to the South, the VP goes to the North. It is established. Though not written in the Constitution but it has become a convention like we have power rotation here among the three senatorial zones.”

    “Now, after Buhari’s eight years as President, some of us went to him to know his thoughts about where the Presidency would come from. And the President made it very clear that after his eight years, the next President must come from the South. It didn’t end there.

    ” All the Northern governors of APC extraction (16 out of 19 Governors) all agreed that it is the turn of the South. Before this decision was taken, our governors in Southern Nigeria convened in Asaba. These are governors of different political parties. Okowa was the host, he gave them food, drinks, they signed an agreement. He read the communique. As he was doing so, he didn’t even allow the ink to dry before he betrayed them.”

    Commendation by UPU

    The Urhobo apex socio-cultural umbrella body, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide, also commended the Deputy Senate President and Delta APC Governorship Candidate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege for being the shinning light of the Urhobo nation.

    Specifically, UPU lauded the DSP for attracting projects across the nooks and crannies of Delta Central Senatorial District, even as it noted that he is eminently qualified to lead the state in 2023.

    President-General, UPU Worldwide, Olorogun (Dr) Moses Taiga stated this on Tuesday when the Deputy Senate President, Omo-Agege paid a consultation visit to UPU executives in Okpare- Olomu.

    In his welcome address, the UPU President General, Olorogun Moses Taiga who spoke on behalf of the Urhobo Nation, said the entire Urhobo has observed with satisfaction the quality representation of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, revealing that his is Eminently Qualified to be the next Governor of Delta State.

    According to him; I wish to commend Your Excellency, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, on your enviable services to Urhobo nation and to Nigeria as a senator in the federal republic of Nigeria. I must commend you for great works and achievements for over seven years in the senate you have distinguished yourself as a worthy son of Urhobo son”.

    “We thank you for attracting federal Polytechnic, Orogun in Urhobo land and also other projects in our dear urhobo nation prosperity will accord you the rightful place in history of our dear nation. We admired your eloquent and boldness in representing issues and bills in the national assembly”.

    While stating that the Deputy Senate President has helped in setting the relationship between the Urhobo nation and neighbours in Delta State, south-south, and across the country through your energetic and cordial relationship with groups and communities, the UPU President General noted that the entire Urhobo people are proud of his roles in the past constitutional review exercise and impressed with efforts in the Nigeria electoral Act 2022 that has brought new hope in the country electoral processes and also thanking him for powering urhobo nation with Streetlights, new transformers and other major projects.

  • Okowa presents N561.8bn budget for 2023

    Okowa presents N561.8bn budget for 2023

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday presented a budget of N561.8 billion for 2023 to the State House of Assembly for approval.

    Okowa, while presenting the budget, Christened “Budget of Seamless and Stable Transition”, in Asaba, said that the figure showed an increase of 17 per cent over that of 2022.

    He said that the budget was made up of N235.2 billion in Recurrent Expenditure, representing 42 per cent, and N326.6 billion Capital Expenditure, representing 58 per cent.

    Okowa said that the budget would be mainly funded through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    ”With the sustenance of all the measures put in place to overhaul the revenue infrastructure, the IGR for 2023 is expected to improve.

    ”The signs are obvious with a performance of 89 per cent of the budget in the first nine months of the current year. We shall continue to sustain and improve on the measures taken thus far which culminated in the increased revenue profile.

    ”While new sources of revenue are being explored, we shall also intensify enforcement of appropriate tax legislation.

    ”It is therefore, our projection to generate the sum of N95 billion as IGR in 2023, representing 17 per cent of the total projected revenues for the year,” he said.

    The governor said that the IGR estimate for 2023 was higher than that of 2022 by N15 billion, with a proposed growth rate of 19 per cent.

    Okowa also said that the budget would focus on strengthening the existing administrative institutional framework, build capacity of public servants, ensure value for money and improve the quality of public service delivery.

    ”The State Government will also strengthen the relevant institutions of the state responsible for sustaining the reforms and gains of the Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme of the World Bank which has recorded tremendous improvements in our financial administrative processes,” he said.

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday presented a budget of N561.8 billion for 2023 to the State House of Assembly for approval.

    Okowa, while presenting the budget, Christened “Budget of Seamless and Stable Transition”, in Asaba, said that the figure showed an increase of 17 per cent over that of 2022.

    He said that the budget was made up of N235.2 billion Recurrent Expenditure, representing 42 per cent and N326.6 billion Capital Expenditure, representing 58 per cent.

    Okowa said that the budget would be mainly funded through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    ”With the sustenance of all the measures put in place to overhaul the revenue infrastructure, the IGR for 2023 is expected to improve.

    ”The signs are obvious with a performance of 89 per cent of the budget in the first nine months of the current year. We shall continue to sustain and improve on the measures taken thus far which culminated in the increased revenue profile.

    ”While new sources of revenue are being explored, we shall also intensify enforcement of appropriate tax legislation.

    ”It is therefore, our projection to generate the sum of N95 billion as IGR in 2023, representing 17 per cent of the total projected revenues for the year,” he said.

    The governor said that the IGR estimate for 2023 was higher than that of 2022 by N15 billion, with a proposed growth rate of 19 per cent.

    Okowa also said that the budget would focus on strengthening the existing administrative institutional framework, build capacity of public servants, ensure value for money and improve the quality of public service delivery.

    ”The State Government will also strengthen the relevant institutions of the state responsible for sustaining the reforms and gains of the Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme of the World Bank which has recorded tremendous improvements in our financial administrative processes,” he said.

  • It’s joyous for Delta to produce the vice president, says Macaulay 

    It’s joyous for Delta to produce the vice president, says Macaulay 

     

    A former Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay has said that it would be a thing of joy for the State to produce the Vice President of the country.

    As a result, he harped on the need for cohesion and togetherness in ensuring that the State Governor and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ifeanyi Okowa along with the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, are victorious at the 2023 polls.

    Macaulay who spoke when a group of PDP Members came to felicitate with him on his 62nd  birthday anniversary in Asaba, said he remained a member of the party in spite of the deficiencies and injustices in the party.

    “For me, I am a committed PDP member and I will work for the interest of the party particularly to ensure that Delta is part of the presidency come 2023.

    “It will be my pride and a thing of joy to me for our dear Delta State to produce the Vice President of the country,” he stated.

    However, he lamented that there was a persistent impunity and arrogance of the PDP in Isoko land with members being intimidated and insulted.

    “The PDP leadership in Isoko is boastful, it is hateful, marked by witch-hunt, lies, blackmail, divide and rule … this is unheard of in Isoko before now.”

    Earlier, the managing director of Danmotech Limited,  Engineer Daniel Omoyibo who led the group, praised Governor Okowa’s leadership as well as declared support for PDP in the governorship and the presidential elections in 2023.

    Nonetheless, he regretted that due to the insolent and antagonistic stance of the PDP leadership in Isoko, his group resolved to work for the House of Assembly and House of Representatives candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Isoko.