Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has insisted that it was by divine approval that the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, would succeed him this year as governor.
He also said Oborevwori, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, would not disappoint Deltans as governor.
Okowa noted that he has all it takes to move the state to higher heights.
The governor, who is the vice presidential candidate of the PDP, stated this in Sapele at the party’s campaign in Sapele and Okpe local government areas.
According to him, God had approved Oborevwori as his successor, pointing out: “God made it possible for him to be Speaker of the State House of Assembly and he has remained the longest serving speaker in the state.
“Obviously he has been in a school and God has made it possible for him to become our governorship candidate.
“Sheriff is not greedy and he has good people management skills and he will not disappoint Deltans.
“He has promised to complete our ongoing projects and execute more projects for the benefit of the people.”
Okowa commended the people for the massive turnout for the rallies, and urged them to translate it to votes for all candidates of the party.
He said: “On behalf of our great party faithful, I want to congratulate the people of Okpe on this great achievement because what God has done no man can change.
“We haven’t come here to campaign because we have been equitable and just by supporting your son to become gubernatorial candidate of the party.
“Only four states score above one million votes and they are all from the North but we must join them by crossing the one million-votes mark.”
Speaking about the performance of the All Progressives Congress at the federal level, Okowa said the ruling party at the centre was synonymous with infrastructure deficit and inept governance.
He said the Federal Government, in its lacklustre administration, orchestrated collapse of its roads in the state through deliberate neglect and abandonment, noting that the poor attention of the Federal Government to Delta State had continued in spite of the state having a son as Deputy President of the Senate.
According to him: “All our roads – from Benin to Warri, Sapele to Agbor, everywhere – are all impassable, yet we have a son as Deputy President of the Senate.
“He couldn’t lobby the government to reconstruct roads in the state, yet he wants to be governor.”
Okowa, however, urged the people of the state not to despair, saying: “With God’s will and your support, I will become the next vice-president of the country and we will attend to all the roads for the benefit of our people.”
The governor charged the people to continue to live in peace and remain united as “the more united we are the greater strength and voice that we will have in Nigeria”.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Kingsley Otuaro, buttressed the importance of voting all party candidates and urged the people to campaign vigorously across the state.
The immediate past Governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, lamented that despite the abundance of gas and two power plants in the area the people were still grappling with inadequate power supply.
Uduaghan however urged the people to vote all candidates of the PDP, expressing optimism that Governor Okowa would work towards correcting the present narrative when he becomes the vice-president of the country.
For the governorship candidate of the party, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, flanked by his wife, Tobore, and deputy governorship candidate, Chief Monday Onyeme, it was a homecoming for him because Sapele and Okpe local government areas belong to one Kingdom: Okpe.
He said: “So coming here to campaign is not necessary, but we thank you for allowing your son to have the gubernatorial ticket and for the massive road infrastructure and entrepreneurship programmes for our people.”
He said some of the challenges being faced by the people are on the exclusive list and therefore urged the people to vote Atiku-Okowa ticket to ensure that Okowa addresses the issues affecting the people.
Oborevwori said he had learnt to be very humble under Okowa, assuring that he would deploy his MORE Agenda for the equitable development of the state.
State Chairman of the party, Chief Kingsley Esiso, lauded Governor Okowa for the massive infrastructural development in the area.
Esiso said that the coming election was a battle of “no retreat no surrender”, adding that the APC had so damaged the economy that over 133 million Nigerians have been plunged into acute hunger and poverty.
He said the party was on a mission to rescue and reset Nigeria and called on the people to join hands with the party to sack APC from Aso Rock.
The Director-General of the State PDP Campaign Council, Chief Funkekeme Solomon, said the state was growing from strength to strength under the PDP and urged the people to vote massively for all candidates of the party.
Solomon urged Deltans to put aside party differences and support the Delta interest by voting for the PDP to enable Governor Okowa become the first vice-president from the state.
At Orerokpe, former Minister of Information, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire and former Military Administrator of Abia State, Air Vice Marshal Frank Ajobena, urged the people of Okpe to support their son and vote all candidates of the PDP.
At the well attended rallies, hundreds of members of the APC defected to the PDP, citing competence and the good works of the PDP in the state.
Wife of the Governor, Dame Edith Okowa; Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Edward Ubosi; his Edo State counterpart, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun; and former Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly and pioneer Chairman of the PDP Speakers’ Forum, Rt. Hon. John Lebo, attended the rally.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
