Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday tasked leaders to always speak the truth to their followers at all times for credibility in governance and their welfare.
The governor gave the charge while receiving the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and members from Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Government House, Asaba.
He said that as leaders, the onus lies on them to speak truth to their followers always and not to tell them lies because of the quest for political power, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report.
Okowa, who reacted to a statement credited to Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, a Chieftain of the APC in the state, expressed disappointment in the lawmaker’s comment over his administration’s performance in Delta.
“There is a lot going on and we thank God for all that we have seen and all that is going on in Delta.
“What I am trying to emphasise is that only recently, one of our brothers sitting very high up there at the Senate, lied to the people of Delta.
“I usually don’t like to talk about people, but for the Deputy Senate President, to make comments that he knows that is not true, is a very unfortunate thing.
“The truth is truth and it cannot be hidden; it is only a blind man that will look through Delta and say that under the current circumstance that this administration is not doing well.
“Under the current financial burden that we have in our nation and looking through all the activities of government both in terms of peace building, development of infrastructure and whatever we do in providing services in the health and education sectors, human capital development, and entrepreneurship programmes, “it has been acknowledged that we are doing well. With all that is being done, somebody out there says there is nothing being done?
“It is wrong for people in high offices to send a wrong message to the people.
“I am not going to start comparing myself to the government of APC because whatever I do, I do it out of the fact that the wisdom of God rests upon me and has enabled me to do those things.
“Leaders must learn to communicate right and not to speak lies to their people; even the community he went to speak about in Ughelli South, we are building a bridge across the Orere river.
“That bridge as at the time of the contract award was N10 billion and the bridge is just a stone’s throw from where he went to, construction work is ongoing there day-in, day-out.
“I only wish and pray that rather than make statements that deceive the people that we can all play our roles to attract development from wherever we find ourselves,” Okowa said.
