2019: Okowa alleges opposition’s plan to disrupt elections in Delta 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Tuesday alleged that the opposition was planning to disrupt the 2019 general elections in the state.
The governor stated this while receiving those who defected to Peoples Democratic Party from the All Progressives Congress, Accord Party and Social Democratic Party at the Township Stadium, Kwale.
Okowa said: “What some of them are saying now is that they must make sure that they disrupt elections in Delta in 2019.
“They said they will engage the Delta North by shooting guns to disrupt the elections while they will allow elections to go on in Delta Central and Delta South so that elections in Delta North will hold another day.
“But, whatever their plans, we are not afraid of them because we will defeat them even in their homes, wards and local governments.
“I want to thank our youths, women and the elders for coming to support us and I want to promise that we shall continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.”
He expressed hope that there would be a forum for debate between him and the opposition, adding that they had nothing to tell the people because they were itinerant politicians who only appeared during elections.
Okowa added that those in the opposition parties in the state were itinerant politicians who were never on ground but appeared during elections, adding that nobody would deceive the people.
He said: “I pray that there will be a forum for debate; I have been on ground in Delta and I know all that it takes to build the state and I have been in Delta all my life.
“The oppositions can’t do anything well; even in their congresses they deceived the people but nobody can deceive us.”
He told the new members that the PDP was a big family, which would accommodate and give everyone a pride of place, and charged them to work for the party in the 2019 elections.
Earlier the Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro, PDP Chairman, Kingsley Esiso, Senatot Peter Nwaoboshi, Prof. Sam Oyobhaire and Chief Funkekeme Solomon, reiterated the resolved of PDP to support eight years term for Okowa as governor.
According to them, the party arrangement for Delta North to produce the governor in 2019 stands.
They said: “We are in support of the arrangement 100 per cent and therefore reaffirm our support for Okowa to return in 2019.”
Member of APC who defected to PDP include:Mercy Almona-Isie, Chief Emma Ogude, Gabriel Mordi, Cyril Okobi, Sunday Ogedengbe and Victor Nsolo led the APC members who crossed to PDP.
From the Accord Party was Bath Ngbaku while Peter Ighomene defected from SDP.
The new members, who took turns to address the rally, lauded Okowa for his political stride, describing him as a pragmatic leader and quiet achiever.
They said that his achievement and leadership style made them to decamp to PDP and pledged support for the governor.
Almona-Isie described the governor as humble, adding that PDP had been rejuvenated “and now the best in the country”.
She added: “Our governor is a man of class, faithful person and one who does not announce his works. I decided to return and become active to ensure that the governor and the party return and remain in the state.”
On his part, Ighomene, former Chairman of SDP in Ughelli South, said: “I have been a migrant politician but I am tired; so, I opted for protection under the PDP because the governor is a performing governor”.