AFTER one week of intense speculation about the health condition of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, the governor on Wednesday cleared doubts surrounding his health status, saying that he is “hale and hearty.”
Speculations have been rife in the past week about the health status of the governor as a section of the media was awash that the governor allegedly slumped in the bathroom attached to his office and was subsequently flown abroad.
But, speaking at the Government House Chapel yesterday, the governor described his rumoured ill-health as unfair and uncharitable but admitted that he had minor injury which had since been taken care of.
Dr. Okowa said he was surprised at the blatant falsehood published by a section of the media which suggested that he collapsed and was flown abroad for medical attention.
“It is unfair and uncharitable to disseminate false information. It is very unfortunate at this age and time that people will intentionally misinform others when there are opportunity to find out what might have happened.
“I am told that certain sections of social media reported that I have been flown abroad for medical treatment. When and how did that happen when I have been very busy treating hundreds of files on my table”
“The truth is that last Wednesday, I entered the washroom in my office and one of the tiles fell off from the wall and I had a minor cut on my head and I had two stitches and it was treated and I was ok.
“People know I am a workaholic and that is why it didn’t stop me from working, I am hale and healthy.”
Dr. Okowa advised journalists to imbibe the culture of responsible journalism which demands thorough investigation of issues before publishing and urged media practitioners to always seek truthful information at all times.
He expressed surprise that anybody will query why his deputy, Barrister Kingsley Otuaro will represent him at public functions even when it was a known fact that the office of the governor and that of the deputy are one.
The governor’s absence at public events including the 2016 Teachers’ Day celebration and the opening ceremony of the 2016/2017 legal year of the state judiciary, where he was represented by his deputy at both occasion fuelled speculations that he was flown abroad for treatment.
