Okowa was elected in 2015 not just based on his competency, but because it was the turn of Delta North – Oyovbaire

…Says Delta governorship rotation not on an ethnic basis

 

By Ovasa Ogaga,———

 

Former Minister of Information, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire has said that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa emerged as the governor of Delta State not just because he was competent, focus and an Ika man but because it was the turn of Delta North.  

Oyovbaire also added that rotation of the governorship of Delta state was not initiated on the basis of ethnic nationalities but on the basis of Senatorial Districts, as it has created a very big basis for peace and stability in Delta state.

He stated this during the official swearing-in/inauguration of the National Executives Council/Board of Trustees of Delta Central 2023 group, added that for those who are arguing against power rotation, will it make sense if Okowa starts to agitate for an Oshimili person to take over from him, even if, it’s their right to contest to do so?

The “father of the government” as he is fondly called, appealed to the BoT and NEC of DC-23 to consult and dialogue with their counterparts in the North and South Senatorial Districts of the state to support the Delta Central quest to produce the next governor come 2023.

He explained that the move to set up the constitution and committees of the Delta Central 2023 was misunderstood, hence people started saying that DC-23 was going to be another political party but that was far from the aims and objectives of DC-23.

He stated that the primary purpose of DC-23 is firmness and humility to dialogue with other senatorial districts in the state. “The issue of rotation or zoning has always been there in the affairs of the PDP, how it plays out at the national level has its own character, how it plays out and continue to play out at the state level, has its own character, even at the local government and ward levels, rotation is there”, he said.

According to him, “for us here in Delta state, this is the third phase of our transition, we have a transition in 2006/2007. All of us know that even when a constitution or written agreement has not been entered, there is a basic understanding that the governorship of this state should go round senatorially.

“In 2014/2015 which was our next experience, Okowa was elected not just because he was competent, focus and an Ika man but because it was the turn of Delta North. For those who are arguing, will it make sense if Okowa starts to agitate for an Oshimili person to take over from him? But for the fact that an Oshimili person wants to exercise his right, he can’t be deprived. The rotation does not stop one from contesting but only favours the next senatorial district on board to benefit.

In his acceptance speech after the swearing-in, Chief Senator Ighoyota Amori, National Chairman of DC-23, promised not to disappoint on the aims and objectives of the group.

He said, “DC-23 is neither a one-man show nor a political party. It is a pressure group within the PDP in Delta Central with a single objective of delivering on the governorship project in 2023. And it was put together by prominent and revered elders and leaders of Delta Central political class.

He emphasized that DC-23 is not a parallel body to the PDP in the state and not formed to be antagonistic to the Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa. “It was not formed to promote disharmony among the three senatorial districts in Delta state but was rather formed to support Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to finish strong, promote inter-senatorial peace, love and unity and create an enabling environment for succession of the governorship in Delta state.