Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has urged Nigerians to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rescue and rebuild the country from the hardship created by the APC-led Federal Government.
Okowa, who is also the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, gave the advice on Wednesday at the party’s rally in Ughelli-North and Isoko South Local Government Areas of Delta.
He said that only the PDP had the right experience to rebuild the nation’s economy and stop the pervasive insecurity across the country.
Okowa said that the party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had the requisite experience and political will to turn things around as he did as vice president to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said that some members of the opposition in Delta were not pleased with the state’s empowerment of youths and women with relevant skills.
Okowa implored the people to reject arrogant politicians who brought shame and disgrace to the state.
He urged them to vote for the Delta PDP governorship candidate who he described as level-headed and a man of the people.
“The youths and women of Delta are our great strength, and once I see them I know the matter is settled.
“I thank all of you who are here present and my greatest thanks go to the youths and women of Delta.
“I am happy with the crowd of people I see here today in Ughelli North. We have been seeing such crowds before but this one is exceptional.
“I thank my deputy governor for his support. As my deputy has said, we will follow our governorship candidate, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori, to church to do thanksgiving of victory in 2023.
“We do not want a governorship candidate who will bring disgrace to Delta and Deltans and we do not want people who are angry that we are spending money to empower our youths.
“We do not want a governor that will be too proud to relate with the people and you know that our governorship candidate, Oborevwori, is a humble man who has immense respect for the people, Okowa said.
The PDP said that the APC had caused disunity among Nigerians.
He said the APC government had also brought insecurity, hunger, poverty and economic hardship and urged the people to support the PDP to change the ugly situation caused by the maladministration of the country by APC.
“The PDP will work with the people to settle all the problems caused by the APC and change the change to return Nigerians to greater glory.
“We need to bring PDP back to the centre and change the change that has brought untold hardship on the people.
“As a result of our performance in Delta, PDP gave us the ticket of the Vice President. We need all your support to secure victory in 2023,” he said.
Okowa called on the people of Delta to mobilise fully for the presidential campaign holding in Asaba on Jan. 24, 2023.
The governorship candidate of the party, Oborevwori, said that the people of Delta were already preparing for the victory thanksgiving on May 29, 2023.
He assured the crowd that by the grace of God he would win the election and bring his MORE Agenda to bear on the economic fortunes of the state.
On his part, the State Chairman of the party, Mr Kingsley Esiso, said the people of Ughelli North had shown commitment to join the mission to rescue and rebuild Nigeria.
He said that the people by their actions had shown that there was no other political party in Ughelli North, adding that Delta and Ughelli North in particular were tired of the maladministration of the APC-led Federal Government.
“They have taken a bag of rice that was sold for N8,000 during the PDP reign to N52,000 as at today,” Esiso said.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Kingsley Otuaro; Director-General of the State Campaign Council, Mr Funkekeme Solomon; former governorship aspirant, Mr Fred Majemite, among others, also spoke at the rallies.
The highpoint of the rally in Ughelli North was the defection of a former APC governorship aspirant in the state, Mr Osiobe Okotie, and others to the PDP.
Addressing the crowd, Okotie said he had returned to the PDP to join others to build the party in Delta.
“Like the prodigal son, I have returned to my original home, the PDP. I started politics in PDP, so I am back to my original home,” Okotie said.
NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA