Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta State and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has vowed not to join issues with the Southern and Middle Belt leaders who expressed disapproval with his acceptance to be PDP’s presidential running mate for Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking on Arise TV on Friday, the former Senator said while he respects those leaders and their opinions, they should understand that he is a politician who belongs to a political party, and that he is bound to respect the decisions of that party.

This came shorty after a group of southern and Middle Belt leaders including the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF), the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); Afenifere; the Middle Belt Forum and the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, described his acceptance of the vice-presidential candidacy as “treacherous and despicable.”

The demand of Southern governors of power shift was held at a meeting which Okowa hosted in Asaba, capital of Delta.

In theor criticism of Okowa, the Southern leaders said Okowa would not have teamed up with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar if truly he was committed to power shift.

While responding, Okowa said since the party had already elected Atiku from North as the presidential flag bearer, the right thing is for the emergence of a southern running mate to avoid situations that could “lead us further into divisions in this country.”

He said, “I want to respect our leaders, I believe that they have their opinions, and I also believe that they are well-meaning leaders. So, I won’t join issues with them. But the important thing is that I belong to a political party and I was part of the decisions of that political party, and we did agree that the best pathway to rescue this nation was to throw the presidential race open in our party.

“And having agreed upon Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president, the honour is now for us to support him since we can’t have a president from the North and also a vice president from the North. That would lead us further into divisions in this country, and we are talking about rebuilding this nation, and to a very large extent, we have to take the right decisions. And within our party, I think that having submitted myself to be a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, I will have to submit myself to the decisions of the party and that’s what has happened.

“That doesn’t mean it’s a disrespect for the views of those leaders. They are leaders I respect so much, but under this condition, they have to understand that I have committed myself to the PDP. I am a politician. If I were not a politician, it might be different. I am a politician and I am entitled to my views.

“I want to appeal to them that they need to actually look at this issues as it’s, that while we are making our comment as it concerns Nigeria at this time that we have crises within the nation, the rebuilding process is that we need to rebuild confidence. And in rebuilding confidence, we have to be very cautious about the stance that the take. We have to be cautious about what we do. We need to understand that the unity of this nation is important and we need to move forward from wherever we are at the moment.”

But the important thing is that I belong to a political party and I was part of the decisions of that political party, and we did agree that the best pathway to rescue this nation was to throw the presidential race open in our party

Azsalami:
Nigeria system of democracy is bad.
if truely ahmad lawan name was list as yobe north senatorial candidate instead of machina, you snatched someone else mandate to give to another person because you want him to remain in power, then we have lost it.
This is not democracy.
APC & BUHARI's GOVERMENT IS A DISGRACE.
What gives assurance that the 2023 general election will not be rigged in favour of their candidate?
.
Buhari after you leave office come 2023, you will never have peace of mind in jesus name. AMEN

pyyxxaro:
Make una beg OKOWA and SHERIFF, there just de collect steady loans in billions


Even the House if Assembly members aren’t saying anything because they are getting their share in Dollars




I don’t think Okowa has done anything wrong by accepting that VP position

Penguin2:
How can someone be both ugly and shameless at the same time?

SARSCoV2:


The furniture in Delta states government house now trying to form importance!

Okowa should be ashamed of himself!

That despite huge allocation and average IGR, he is still struggling to outperform Yobe State governor.
Hu
The insult is that, Okowa still seeks relevance, despite is world renowned failure!

This are proven facts that humans don’t have sincere conscience. Cos ordinarily, if okowa was sincere to himself and Delta state people, he should be contemplating suicide as at now.

Damn! I am not pained by his failures! I am pained that he still has the guts and effrontery to talk.

Almighty God has been a patient God. If humans were God’s! Thunder would have killed Okowa wayback 2018

Felimax:
Nigerians against Okowa are mad.

So Okowa is now PDP that threw open their party ticket?

So, where were these set of people when Atiku got the Presidential ticket? Was there any protest from these people?

You all celebrated PDP Atiku when he won and yet you suddenly don't want a vice for him. Very useless set of people.

If truly the Igbos are not hypocrites why are most of you guys not supporting Okowa? Ok, maybe he is not an Igbo after all.

Okowa, is not the reason Peter Obi left the PDP or the reason Wike was not picked, so what is all the fumes about him been a betrayal?

You guys should have some sense else an epileptic old man who has no vision for this beautiful country other than his dream to be president will end up been your president and we all will pay dearly for it.

We should not allow the schemes of the SATANIC party in power affect our sense of decorum.

Okowa is a goal!

pyyxxaro:
Make una beg OKOWA and SHERIFF, there just de collect steady loans in billions


Even the House if Assembly members aren’t saying anything because they are getting their share in Dollars




I don’t think Okowa has done anything wrong by accepting that VP position

alsudan:
Shut up backstabbing Horce Teeth

This man will not get 30 percent votes for PDP in Delta State, not to talk of other SS states.

Just a worthless VP candidate who was compensated for betraying the Asaba declaration he himself hosted.

chrisxxx:
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Okowa a complete betrayal. If Okowa had supported the leading light from south then after the primary decided to pick the VP from the winning side there would have been no issue. But Okowa persuaded Wike to contest. Wike went all out shouting like a mad dog which is the only right the minority has in a democracy only foe Okowa to betray him. Okowa and his likes will one day find out what they have done.

Isokiscool:
y are u guys fooling urselves,even wike is also a betrayal for not agreeing to zone it to d south east

SARSCoV2:


It’s worrisome!

That Okowa has effrontery to still talk where national affairs are being discussed, is insulting and ridiculing.

Of Okowa had a conscience, he should be presently thinking of peaceful ways to commit suicide, and not involving in politics.

An absolute failure with no iota of shame!


He should be the the vice of Peter Obi since they both absolute failure in governance.