Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has explained that his decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was driven by a need to connect the state to the seat of power in Abuja.
Last week, Okowa, along with his successor Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and cabinet members, left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.
The move shocked the PDP’s national leadership, causing the opposition to lose control of one of the oil-rich states it had governed since 1999.
Speaking at the APC welcome ceremony for the defectors on Monday, Okowa said the defection served the best interests of Delta State.
Okowa, who served as the PDP Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, stated the shift was necessary to access the goodwill and resources at the Federal Capital Territory.
He said, “When the news broke on Wednesday that we had decided to change our path, people wondered why, but one thing is very important in a people’s history: there is always a time to change their path for the common good of the people.
“As I did tell people that day, it was not about me, it was not about the governor, but the fact that there is a need for us to connect to Abuja, that goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that’s in Abuja of which Delta State is a large contributor, there was a need to connect to it.”
Okowa described the mass defection of Delta leaders to the APC as both patriotic and strategic, noting that Delta State missed out on many benefits during his time in office because the state was in opposition.
“I was governor for eight years. I was in opposition. I did my best but we lost a lot. And I did not believe that the governor needed to stay working very hard, and we know that we are very supportive of Governor Sheriff because he’s doing a lot. But as the governor is doing a lot for us, he also needs to connect to the greater source of power and resource and goodwill in Abuja,” the ex-governor said.
He urged Deltans already in the APC to welcome and collaborate with them to solidify the ruling party’s dominance in the state.
Okowa also called for support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that it was time for the people of Delta State to stand firmly with both President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori.
What you should know
Former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led a major defection from the PDP to the APC, citing the need for Delta State to access federal resources and better connect with national power structures.
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