Delta 2019: Okowa Confirmed as PDP Flag Bearer, Sticks With Otuaro as Deputy

Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has clinched the 2019 gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in pursuant of his second term ambition.

Okowa who emerged unopposed at the party’s primary election held on Sunday, September 30, 2018 at Cenotaph, Asaba, had the governor elected by 3,252 party delegates across the State.

Announcing the result, the returning officer, Mrs Uzo Nwandu announced that out of the 3,278 accredited voters, 3,252 votes were declared valid, while a total vote of 26 were invalid.

In his acceptance speech, Governor Okowa expressed profound gratitude to Delta PDP for giving him another opportunity, encouraging them not to get scared of the political waves crawling across the country

Okowa further affirmed that his choice for running mate still resides on the present deputy governor, Barr. Kingsley Utuaro Burutu saying, “the PDP in Delta is a family and we are very proud of this family and because we realize that we are a family, PDP has insisted that there will be equitable process where there is justice and fairness; because we are one family the PDP endorsed my candidacy in 2014 and I went through by the special grace of God during the elections and we won; today in your belief for equity, justice and fairness, the party has returned me unopposed as its candidate; I am very grateful and I thank you for being a party that reasons that we can only be a family when there is equity and fairness.”

Governor Okowa added, “I want to assure you that we will continue to remain strong under the leadership of our leader, Chief James Ibori; this party will remain focused, this party will be about Delta, we shall continue to ensure that we are strengthened enough to be recognized very strongly in national politics; there is no need to be afraid, there is no need to shake, when something happened in some states, people send text messages but, we have come as always in the name of God and because God is with us, there is nobody that can be against us.”

“We are strong and we will continue to remain strong, we will go forth into the elections and we will win landslide; I am proud because I have each and every one of you, our God that was with us in 2015 is with us, so there is no cause for alarm, we must go out there to talk to the people, we must go as one united family, we must go carrying everyone along and I believe that this is the principle of our party, and even when we go into the congresses on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to elect candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly, let us go through these elections with brotherly and sisterly love, let us conduct it in peace,” he admonished.

Governor Okowa who was elated at the peaceful conduct of the primary elections emphasized, “I have spoken with our party chairman and I know that there will be a free and fair primaries and the results will also be free and fair and by the grace of God, I appeal to each and every one of us even when you lose in the ballot you have not lost everything because you belong to one united family.”

Leading the park of delegates was the Former governor of the State, H.E. Chief James Ibori, present and past PDP elected officials and appointees amongst others.

While addressing the delegates before the commencement of voting, Ibori charged Deltans to que behind okowa in the 2019 polls.