CORRUPTION : UDUAGHAN NOMINATED DEAD PERSON AS BOARD MEMBER

The Delta State House of Assembly were on Tuesday thrown into a state of astonishment and disbelieved  when it came to light that  one of the seven persons nominated by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for appointment into the Delta State Tourism Board had died a while ago.

It was gathered that Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan , nominated James Youmu,  Efe Afe, Peter Okolotu, Hyacinth Iyere, Amah Agbajoh, Abel Eyube and Joe Morg for appointment into the Delta State Tourism Board; during the screening when Mr. Youmu, the fourth nominee on the list, was called up. Mr. Afe, a former member of the state assembly who was screened as the chairman of the board, immediately told the House that the said James Youmu had died even before the names were sent for screening.

This is a very serious embarrassing situation on part of the governor. It means that the governor cannot vouch for any of the nominees he personally nominated; an action that can be describe as dereliction of duty. The strange incident became a new chapter in the governor’s controversial actions regarding the membership of the state-owned agencies and parastatals.

 According to SaharaReporters, a prominent member of the Delta State House of Assembly said that he was dismayed that the governor sent a list of nominees for the boards of state-owned agencies after the governor had sworn in the nominees into office three months ago. The legislator said that the governor’s belated action was “evidence that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has lost focus.”  

Another lawmaker lamented that: “Why did His Excellency send us names of nominees for state boards for screening and confirmation when the boards were inaugurated by the same governor some months ago?” one of the state lawmakers wondered. 

Meanwhile,a letter titled “Request For Confirmation Of Nomination Of Chairmen And Members Of Certain Boards” and personally signed by Governor Uduaghan was accompanied with a list of nominees to be screened for appointment into the Delta State Tourism Board, Delta Broadcasting Service, Warri; Delta Broadcasting Service, Asaba, and Delta State Rural Development Agency. 

The latest development, where a dead man’s name appeared on the governor’s list, caused consternation among Deltans who went to the state assembly to witness the screening and confirmation exercise. “Who come put dead man for board?” one of the spectators mused, speaking in pidgin language.