Delta 2023: Okowa promises free, fair election as PDP holds rally

By Timi Black
Chief Correspondent

The governor of Delta state, His Excellency senator Ifeanyi Okowa has promised members of the people’s Democratic Party, PDP, and governorship aspirants in the party that there will be free and fair elections in the state during the party primaries, adding that he was a product of free and fair elections and will replicate same.

Okowa made the disclosure while addressing PDP faithfuls at the party’s mega rally at the Cenotaph, event center Asaba, on Saturday, noting that PDP remained one united family in the state.

The governor assured that primaries for all elective positions in the party would be free and credible.

According to the governor, the massive mobilisation for the rally showed that PDP was ready to rescue Nigeria from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that aspirants of APC and other political parties should not waste their money to contest elections in Delta.

Okowa asserted that his administration had done quite a lot, maintaining that he had appointed many youths into government and that never in the history of the state had youths been so appointed into various offices in the state.

“I give thanks to God for what is happening here today and I thank our leaders in the PDP, our state and local government executives, our youths and women for the massive mobilisation for this rally.

“It is by the grace of God and through their hands that we have mobilised to make a statement today across Nigeria that PDP is prepared to take over this nation.

“One good thing about us in the PDP is that we are one family, we are not like the other people where one man takes it all. Here in PDP, we are one family.

“We work as a family with the love of God but in the other parties, they are always fighting themselves,” the governor said.

The governor thanked Deltans for their great support and cooperation with his administration, saying “we have been doing a great job as Deltans, but it is because Deltans voted us into power and that is why we have the opportunity to do the great job that we are doing for our state.

“It is because you have always supported us that is why when we win, we win very well. We won well in 2015 and in 2019, and in 2023 we will finish work again.

“We are advising those who want to run in other political parties not to waste their time and money because there is no space for them in Delta”.

Never in the history of this state have youths been so empowered through our various empowerment and entrepreneurship programmes.

“We have done well for our women and we will continue to do more for them, and let me make it clear that even as we play politics, we will continue to do the work that you asked us to do,” he said.

On infrastructure, the governor assured Deltans that his administration would not slow down in constructing more roads, saying “until I leave office in May, 2023, we will continue to build more and more roads and for those who haven’t been to Asaba in recent times, when you see our new State Secretariat you will be proud that you are a Deltan.

“All our achievements are the collective efforts of all Deltans because you gave us the peace to work and we can’t thank you enough.”

He urged aspirants to control their followers, noting that there was no need for any fight as the party remained one big united family.

“We are one family in PDP; we cannot fight and we will never fight; at the appropriate time, it will be well with us.

“But, one thing I have always promised and I still promise today is that there will always be free and fair primaries; so, there is no room to fight.

“There is no room to quarrel, let us work together as one family that we are and ensure that PDP stays continuously as a family,” he said.