UDUAGHAN SAYS ACCOUNTANT-GENERAL IRRESPONSIBLE….SEEN 6 DAYS AGO

Asaba – Outgoing Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta says the Accountant-General of the State, Mr Cyril Agbele, is an irresponsible man for abandoning office six days ago.
The governor stated this when serving and retired permanent secretaries in the state, paid him a farewell visit in Asaba on Thursday.
“The Accountant-General has disappeared in the last six days. On Thursday, we met and I told him we have some payments to make for the swearing-in of incoming government.

THE PRESIDENCY PERSECUTED ME BECAUSE OF IBORI — UDUAGHAN

He listens more than he speaks and when he manages to open up, his words, like a seasoned diplomat, are measured and bear no added meanings as such. On a normal day, it could be actually tasking extracting exciting details from outgoing Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan. Often, he prefers being correct to being controversial or even courageous. But last Sunday, and for two hours, he was a shade outside his character as he takes on The Guardian’s team. From why the PDP failed to fly in 2015 to the albatross of James Ibori’s conviction and the near diabolic politics of Delta State, Dr. Uduaghan was literally on rampage, saying it as it is. Sampler: “I will not be blackmailed into not expressing my mind on what I believe led us to where we are as a party.”

Eight years ago, you came with a very innovative formula called Three-Point Agenda, which collapsed public administration in Delta into three things namely Peace and Security, Infrastructural Development and Human Capital Development. How would you review your performance so far on all three counts? 

SOUTH-SOUTH STATES MUST GET FAIR SHARE UNDER BUHARI - UDUAGHAN

*Says Okowa 'Will Deliver' for Delta People as Governor
By Omon-Julius Onabu in Warri
Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has congratulated Nigeria's President-elect, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retired), on emerging as successor of President Goodluck Jonathan and urged him to ensure that the "states of the Niger-Delta gettheir fair share" of everything under his administration.
The outgoing governor stressed though the outcome of the general election clearly showed that Delta and the other Niger-Delta states are predominantly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Buhari cannot afford to operate discriminatory policies because he emerged under the canopy of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

I GAVE UP MY SENATORIAL AMBITION TO ENSURE SECURITY OF DELTANS, SAYS UDUAGHAN

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State on Tuesday revealed that he sacrificed his ambition to contest the February election into the senate because he was more interested in ensuring that Deltans were secured.

“I was to contest for the senate seat but withdrew when I suspected a build-up of insecurity. If I insisted, by now, we will be having Boko Haram as well as the Niger Delta militancy that has built up again from the bottom.”

The governor was speaking at the public presentation of the book, ‘The Pains of a Country,’ written by a Deputy Editor, THISDAY Newspapers, Mr.Eddy Odivwri, which was held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos.
Uduaghan, whose speech was anchored on playing politics without bitterness, and a do-or-die mentality of politicians, said not going to the senate was not the end of life.
“If I do not go to the senate, ‘nothing spoil,’ but if I had insisted, people would have died. What is the point?” he asked.

2015: UDUAGHAN DROPS SENATE BID

AHEAD of tomorrow’s senatorial primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, yesterday, withdrew from the Delta South Senatorial race. He said his decision is in the interest of peace and security of the state.
The withdrawal, which some observers described as a masterstroke has nipped in the bud what was a panning out as a pitch battle between the governor’s camp and that led by Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Senator James Manager and ex-militant, Tompolo.
Jonathan’s intervention
Saturday Vanguard gathered that Uduaghan dropped his bid after a tripartite reconciliation meeting brokered and hosted by President Goodluck Jonathan between Thursday and yesterday in Abuja.

SHOWDOWN LOOMS IN DELTA PDP AS CLARK, OTHERS GANG UP AGAINST UDUAGHAN

Indications have emerged that crisis is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State ahead of this weekend’s convention between forces loyal to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and those loyal to three party bigwigs, Chief Edwin Clark, Tompolo and Senator James Manager.
According to sources, the three are plotting to undermine the authority of the state governor as the chief security officer by making the police and the other armed forces to report to them rather than the governor.
“The plan is to determine by fiat who becomes the party’s candidate,” said one of the sources the party in the state.

WHY I AM GOING TO SENATE —UDUAGHAN

Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, declared at the weekend that his ambition to represent Delta South senatorial district in the National Assembly is fuelled by the need to enable oil producing communities to have 10 per cent equity participation in oil companies operating in their areas.
Speaking while addressing a meeting of the executive committee of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), attended by aspirants and leaders of the party at its secretariat in Asaba, Governor Uduaghan said he was determined to ensure that the Niger Delta region was no longer shortchanged.
Dr Uduaghan promised to pursue with vigour the participation of oil producing communities in their naturally given resources to address years of neglect and insensitivity to their plight by the oil companies.
“My desire is to ensure that the 10 per cent equity participation by oil producing communities in oil companies sees the light of the day. My passion is to vigorously pursue this goal … this informed the decision to represent my people (Delta South senatorial district) at the Senate,” he said.

UDUAGHAN SACKS AIDES FOR DISLOYALTY

Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has wielded the big stick against some disloyal aides, as he announced the removal of some members of his cabinet in a move purported to ensure the governor gets a substantial level of the party machinery in the state ahead of the 2015 general elections.
The move, was said to have seen the governor’s hammer on the former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Kingsley Emu and his counterpart in Local Government Affairs, Newworld Safugha. Their appointments were also said to have been immediately given to new appointees already in the administration.
While Emu was sacked for allegedly hobnobbing with Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who is gunning for the governorship seat of the state in 2015 against the Governor’s leaning, Sefugha was kicked out for partnering Senator James Manager to scuttle the governor’s senatorial ambition next year. They were thrown out of the Governor’s administration, a top government source told the New Telegraph at the Government House in Asaba yesterday because the duo of Emu and Sefugha refused to yield to several warnings from the governor, asking them to resign.

YOU’RE A DISGRACE TO GOVERNANCE, LAWYER KEYAMO TELLS GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN

Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has said the Delta state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, is a disgrace to governance for playing “Ping-Pong” with the affairs of the state with ex-militant, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
Mr. Keyamo, in an open letter to the governor, alleged that Mr. Uduaghan interfered in the duties of the state electoral commission during the last local government chairmanship election by replacing the Warri South-West candidate with Mr. Tomopolo’s younger brother on the eve of the election.
The lawyer said the governor summoned one Weyinmi Omadeli to his private residence in Warri on Thursday, October 23, 2014- barely 48 hours to the election- and informed him that he had given orders to the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, to replace his name with that of George Ekpemupolo, the younger brother of Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
“For you to summon Mr. Omadeli on the eve of an election and inform him that his name had been replaced smacks of high-level interference with the job of DSIEC. It clearly shows that DSIEC is only an appendage of the Delta State Government”.
The lawyer listed five reasons why the action by the governor was wrong and said that the governor’s decision “is capable of igniting a crisis that will affect all of us”.

UDUAGHAN THREATENS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST FACEBOOK ACCUSER

DETERMINED to clear his name of any financial misdemeanor, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has threatened to institute a legal action against one Odafe Harry, a Facebook user, who accused him of looting the state treasury.
Uduaghan, on his Facebook account with the name Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, contended that he had already briefed his lawyers to institute a legal action against Odafe to show the veracity of his claim.
Odafe, in his 30s, last week Friday, posted on a Facebook group, “DELTANS; HOW UNA SEE AM?” with Uduaghan’s picture calling people’s attention to “behold the face of the greatest looter of our time; Deltans, would we allow this thief to go to the Senate?”
The post has attracted 110 comments and 16 likes from members of the forum, but Uduaghan said Odafe must come out to prove before a competent court that the allegation was true.

UDUAGHAN SETS FOR SENATE, SUBMITS FORMS

As an affirmation of rumour doing the rounds, the Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan’s expression of interest and nomination forms for the Delta South Senatorial district, were submitted at the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) State Headquarters, Asaba, on Thursday.
Governor Uduaghan, whose forms were bought on October 17 by some of his political associates in G3, at the National Secretariat of the PDP, Wadata House, Abuja, expressed his deep appreciation to all PDP faithful and Deltans for their outpouring of love and support, and promised quality representation at the Red Chambers.
In his words: “History is in the making and I have to heed the calls of my people who have on several occasions urged me to go to the Senate after my tenure as Governor of Delta State. I will not disappoint them. I will, by the grace of God, give my senatorial zone quality representation. I also want to appreciate President Goodluck Jonathan, and assure him that I will put all my National and International reach at his disposal.

2015: GOV UDUAGHAN CAUTIONS GUBER ASPIRANTS AGAINST BLACKMAIL

Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan has broken his silence on his successor with a charge to all aspirants for the governorship seat to sell their programmes and policies to the people rather than scheming on how to disqualify one another through blackmail.
Governor Uduaghan, who has been evasive on his likely successor, noted that neither he nor any level of scheming could determine the candidate that would take over from him in 2015 but that the final choice rested in the hands of God.
He spoke at an interdenominational thanksgiving service held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter’s (Anglican Communion), Asaba to mark the 23th anniversary of the creation of Delta State yesterday.

UDUAGHAN’S BLUNT CONFESSION: NO NEED FOR A NEW GOVERNOR IF I COMPLETE ALL THE WORK IN DELTA

DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, spoke to journalists in Asaba, on national and state matters 
Excerpts:
Alert on security
First, let me say that so far, so good. At the national level, security wise, many of us are in tune with the happenings and we still have the challenge of terrorism, which is still ranging in the north eastern part of Nigeria. Once in a while, there are bombings in various parts of the country.
The effect of that is being felt around the country and if anything happens in any part of the country, the way Nigeria is, you have a relation that might be affected; and beyond, there is also the fact that there are some influx of people from the northern part of Nigeria into Delta and other parts of southern Nigeria. There is also an increase in the number of persons, who are internally displaced who are coming down this way.

DAY A MILITANT ALMOST KILLED ME IN THE CREEK –GOV. EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN

He has been telling the story now for almost four years. Whether in the snows of Davos in Switzerland, where world financial eggheads often gather to brainstorm on the way major economies on the globe are headed, or in the shifty weather of London, or in the blistering heat of Dubai or Africa, his message is the same: Africa is the next destination for the world’s economic salvation; Nigeria, the epicentre; and Delta State, the crust.

When Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, a medical doctor-turned politician began to preach the gospel of Delta State Beyond Oil, few years back, the aim was to help the state he serves as chief executive, to use the proceeds of oil to cure the curse of oil. And by extension, help Nigeria halt its hurtle towards mono-economy. Many scoffed at him at the time. But now, the pessimists have been converted. It’s very likely he will surely win more converts when the World Economic Forum holds in Abuja, in a few weeks’ time.

GOV. UDUAGHAN TO RUN FOR SENATORIAL SEAT IN 2015

Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta on Thursday declared his intention to run for the Delta South Senatorial district election in 2015.
Uduaghan while speaking with journalists in Asaba said that there was an unwritten zonal arrangement on where the senatorial race would go at every point in time.

“This unwritten understanding gives the opportunity to the Itsekiri race, in the senatorial district, to take its turn and I have every right to go.

``When it comes to the issue of election, I have a lot to offer, but the election being one year from now  is not what I should break my head  over,’’ he said.
Refuting the allegation that he was defecting to another political party, Uduaghan said that there was no need for such move.

I DIDN’T PRESENT DEAD MAN FOR APPOINTMENT – UDUAGHAN

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has debunked allegations that he nominated a dead man for appointment into one of the boards to manage the affairs of one of the parastatals in the state.
The governor who was accused on social media and an online news media of nominating a dead man, James Youmu for appointment said it was wrong to say such.
He disclosed that there was likelihood that the dead man shares the same name with his nominee, observing that there is also another Emmanuel Uduaghan in the state too.
Uduaghan gave the clarification at the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders meeting in Asaba.

2015: OPPOSITION TO JONATHAN SHOULDN’T COME FROM N-DELTA, SAYS GOV UDUAGHAN

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has said that under no circumstances should opposition to President Goodluck Jonathan’s perceived second term ambition come from the Niger Delta region.
Speaking during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos yesterday, the Delta State governor challenged the north to reciprocate the high votes gotten by Northern presidential candidates from the Niger Delta region in 2015 when Jonathan expectedly stands for re-election.
Governor Uduaghan also used the opportunity to rebuff the call by the Governor Rotimi Amaechi- led Nigerian Governors Forum, that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala should resign on account of the financial challenges the group said is facing the country.

CONMAN ATTEMPTS TO DUPE UDUAGHAN

Vigilance on the part of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has saved him from being duped by a scammer who allegedly called his mobile phone demanding money for a phony medical treatment abroad.
Saturday Newswatch gathered that the scammer allegedly called the governor claiming to be a former military administrator of the state, and needed his urgent help.
It was learnt that the incident occurred two weeks ago, when the conman telephoned the governor requesting for money, claiming it was to cover the cost of his medicals abroad.
“Yes, a young man called governor Uduaghan two weeks ago claiming to be a former military administrator of the state who is a retired general. He said he needed money urgently to facilitate his medical treatment abroad,” a Government House source told Saturday Newswatch in Asaba.

DON’T JOIN OTHERS TO PULL PRESIDENT DOWN, UDUAGHAN URGES DELTANS

GOVERNOR of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday, advised people of the South-South region to stop criticising President Goodluck Jonathan publicly. He said that as a son of the region, the president should be given the support to enable him succeed, noting that “politics in Nigeria is still very regional.”

The governor, at a luncheon to mark this year’s Democracy Day in, Asaba, after commissioning a number of projects, told the gathering that he was on course in realising  his three-point agenda before the end of his tenure.

AKPABIO’S LARGESSE UPSETS PDP MEETING •AMAECHI, UDUAGHAN LEAVE MIDWAY

EFFORTS at mending the fractures in the workings of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South region fell short Sunday as dignitaries left the special zonal meeting before it was over.

Governors Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Rivers, Delta states respectively, along with several other senior political office holders on the platform of the PDP left the Alfred Diette-Spiff Civic Centre, venue of the PDP 2013 South-South Special Zonal Executive Committee Meeting while the Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Akpabio, was making his speech.

The crux of the disturbance, it was learnt, had to do with Governor Uduaghan’s speech and Governor Akpabio’s reaction to it.