Losers in the December 8, 2014 Peoples Democratic Party governorship primaries in Delta State have thrown their weights behind the winner, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
Okowa beat 24 others, including the early frontline aspirant in the race, Sir Tony Obuh, and Chief David Edevbie, who was his closest rival, last week to emerge as the party’s flag-bearer.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who inaugurated a 71-man campaign council at the New Government House, Asaba, charged the aspirants to ensure that Okowa wins for the party next year.
Besides lauding them for swiftly putting the intrigues that caharcterized the primary election behind them, Uduaghan charged them to sustain the tempo of reconciliation across the party.
According to the governor, it is only through genuine reconciliation that the party can forge a common course to win the general election.
He said: “What is happening in some states is that panels are being set-up in Abuja to settle issues, while in some other states people are moving out of the party.
“But in Delta, nobody is moving out as a result of the primaries.
“We are doing everything possible to deal with those who felt hurt.
“Delta is a PDP state, no doubt, but we must not take things for granted because there are challenges ahead.
“There is serious work to be done.
“We can only win if we put all our hearts together.
“We must put everything behind us and strategise for the elections.”
While the state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Edwin Uzor, is the chairman of the council, Governor Uduaghan’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara, is to serve as Secretary.
Uduaghan, his deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama (SAN), members of the State Executive Committee, all members of the national and state assemblies, including PDP leaders in the state, also made the list.
The 24 aspirants are also automatic members of the council.
Okowa, who expressed delight at the resolution reached at the enlarged meeting, commended the level of co-operation among the aspirants, even as he urged them to bring their political experiences to bear in the course of his campaigns.
Okowa said: “I want to plead that whosoever I might have hurt during the campaigns for the primaries for forgiveness because it might have be done out of politics at the time.
“Now, I believe we are one true family and this is the time to move ahead and the governor has already provided the platform for that reconciliation.”
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