Former Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has admitted that accepting to run as vice-presidential candidate alongside Atiku Abubakar within the 2023 election was a political mistake that didn’t replicate the temper of the individuals he served.
Talking on The Morning Present on Come up Tv on Tuesday, April 29, Okowa mentioned he realised early within the marketing campaign that many within the South, significantly in Delta, weren’t eager on one other northern president succeeding Muhammadu Buhari.
However by then, the choice had already been made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and he had accepted the nomination.
“Even after we have been campaigning, I realised our individuals weren’t desirous about having one other northerner come into energy,” Okowa mentioned.
“However the determination had already been taken on the federal stage by the occasion, and I had been nominated. Nonetheless, on reflection, I now consider I ought to have gone with the need of my individuals.”
Okowa mentioned that disconnect could have contributed to the PDP’s loss in Delta State through the presidential election. However simply three weeks later, the occasion bounced again within the governorship election, profitable 21 out of 25 native governments.
“That confirmed the individuals nonetheless believed in us, believed in me,” he mentioned. “They mentioned you’ve accomplished effectively, and we are going to assist the governor you will have chosen. They usually did.”
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He additionally addressed speculations that his defection to the APC was to hunt safety from corruption allegations. He rejected the declare, saying he had not been arrested by the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) and had nothing to cover.
“I did effectively for the individuals of the state,” he mentioned. “Petitions might be written by anyone, however no matter petitions are written, the precise of investigation is with the EFCC. So, there are not any fears regarding that in any respect.”
Okowa defined that his determination to modify events was not made frivolously. In response to him, he consulted extensively with Delta’s political leaders earlier than concluding that remaining within the PDP would proceed to disclaim the state entry to federal alternatives.
He dismissed ethical criticisms over his defection, mentioning that the PDP he helped construct in 1998 was now not the identical.
“Sure, I used to be a key participant within the PDP from the formative phases, however the PDP of at present just isn’t the identical occasion we in-built 1998,” Okowa mentioned. “Whenever you discover that the values and imaginative and prescient you as soon as believed in are now not there, then you definately step away.”
He additionally denied ever talking with APC chieftain Adams Oshiomhole till not too long ago, saying: “I’ve by no means spoken to Adams Oshiomhole; we talked for the primary time solely yesterday as a result of we’re of various political components and since we’re of various political components we weren’t associates per se.”
