Immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has deridingly urged ace economist, Professor Pat Utomi, to go contest for a councillorship position in his Ward to learn the ropes of government in the state.
Uduaghan made the sardonic remark in Asaba, on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He debunked the wild allegations of financial mismanagement against the state government by Prof Utomi at an event in Warri and urged him not sacrifice the truth on the altar of political expediencies.
Dr Uduaghan urged the Lagos-based economist to consider actualizing his political ambition by first contesting for Councillorship position to get basic facts on issues affecting governance in the state.
He described Prof Utomi as someone more of a bogus ideas, but lacking in the practical execution of his ideologies.
Uduaghan disclosed that as governor of Delta State, his administration made Prof Utomi chairman and member of several committees as opportunities for the professor to contribute to the development of the state, but did not show goodwill and character.
“If Prof Utomi attends any of the meetings, he will not spend more than five minutes.”
“He bragged about his reach internationally, how he was going to bring international investors and we had to partner with him to organize a business forum outside the country with Nigerians in the diaspora for us to get the investors, but he did not spend five minutes before he left us, no investor came to the state through him,” Uduaghan disclosed.
Speaking further on his experience with the Professor of Economics, Dr Uduaghan challenged Deltans to put him on the hot seat on his stewardship concerning projects that we’re in his care.
“You people should ask Prof, where is the Silicon Valley? He took us to his home town, Ibusa for the foundation laying ceremony of Silicon Valley, till date, there is nothing to show that the project has commenced.”
“He has contested for the presidency, he now wants to be the governor but, I think he should start from his Ward, he should contest for Councillor,” Dr Uduaghan advised, amid a thunderous applause from the excited members of the PDP.
He urged Utomi to stop condemning Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, but instead put on the table the programmes he has for the people of the state if they must vote for him.
“It is not good to condemn what the incumbent governor is doing because of your ambition, rather, you should bring out your programmes and sell to the people.”
“Every man has a right to aspire to any political office in the country, but such person must not tell lies about government to achieve his aspiration.”
“Tell the people what you can do for them, do not spread lies.”
“Governor Okowa has done excellently well and we should join hands with him to develop the state,” Uduaghan noted.
The former governor, therefore, advised members of the PDP to remain united and urged those in elective or appointive positions to empower Deltans through the spread of democratic dividends.
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