Edwin Clark, Others Blast Ifeanyi Okowa For Accepting PDP VP Slot

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, June 17th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF), on Friday, berated the governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for the acceptance of nomination as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

This was contained in a statement signed by leaders of four various groups which include, Chief Edwin Clark, for the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, Dr. Dru Bitrus, the President-General, Middle Belt Forum, and Prof. George Obiozor, the President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide.

According to the elder statesmen, the action of Governor Okowa is unspeakable and quite disappointing that the governor, who is presently the Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum, and a native of Owa-Alero in Ika North-East Local Government Area (one of the Igbo-speaking areas) of Delta State, would showcase such barefaced unreliability to accept the position of vice president.

The group recalled that 17 Southern governors of both the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the Chairmanship of the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, met in Asaba, Delta State on May 11, 2021, and decided that, based on the principles of fairness, equity and justice, the presidency should rotate to the South at the end of the statutory eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.

The group stated that Governor Okowa played host to the historic meeting and the Southern governors later met again in Lagos, on July 5, where they reaffirmed their position, and again in Enugu, on September 16, to restate the call that the presidency should rotate to the South in 2023.

“It is, therefore, most unfortunate that the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa who should know better, accepted his appointment as running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. We do not have anything personal against Ifeanyi Okowa but his action is treacherous and tantamount to a despicable pawning of the political future of the people of Southern Nigeria.” The statement said

The group stated that Governor Okowa has, by his action, betrayed the trust his colleagues had in him as well as the entire good people of southern Nigeria and all well-meaning Nigerians saying that the governor has made himself a persona non grata, not only, with SMBLF but to all citizens who treasure the oneness and yearn for a more united and peaceful Nigeria.

The group also stated that it rejected Okowa, his vice president slot, describing the governor’s action as “a betrayal of the highest order”.