2019: No Political Tsunami Can Shake Okowa, Says Ibori

Uduaghan, Wike, Ekweremadu, Secondus grace Anioma reception for Okowa

Former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, has said Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has done so well in his current term in office and the people of the state are so solidly behind him that no political tsunami can be conjured up by any opposition party to shake him in his second term bid in 2019.

He stressed that the unity of the different ethnic groups in the state under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 1999 has remained a formidable force that would effectively neutralise any challenge to Okowa’s second term ambition.

Ibori stated this while addressing a mammoth crowd during the grand solidarity reception for Governor Okowa organised by the people of Anioma ethnic nationality, comprising Delta North Senatorial District, in Asaba yesterday.

National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus; Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu; Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike; Okowa’s immediate predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; and environmentalist, Chief Newton Jibunor, among others, also endorsed Okowa for second term at the occasion.

Former Chief Economic Adviser to ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Philip Asiodu, was chairman at the event, which was also attended by former Deputy Governor of Delta State, Chief Benjamin Elue; the Ide of Ahaba, Chief Sunny Odogwu, ex-information minister, Prof Sam Oyovbaire, traditional rulers, religious leaders and president-generals of different ethnic nationalities across the state.

Ibori disclosed that he had resolved with his family and generality of the people of his hometown, Oghara, as well use his span of influence as a traditional chief in Urhoboland whose mother hails from Itsekiri ethnic nation, to garner votes for Okowa in 2019.

He said for pockets of votes that would be expected from a few people in the democratic spirit, Okowa could be rest assured of total support of the voting people of Delta State in 2019, urging the people to begin preparing for the election in earnest as the governor was too busy with the demands of his office to have much time for electioneering.

Ibori mesmerised the thousands gathered at the Cenotaph Asaba, venue of the event, and charged every eligible voter in the state to obtain their permanent voter’s card (PVC) in preparation for especially the 2019 general election in Nigeria.