The Executive Assistant on Public Enlightenment to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, has debunked media reports suggesting that former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa regretted contesting as the Vice Presidential candidate alongside Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 elections.
Addressing the press in Asaba on Wednesday, Ifeajika, who served as Okowa’s former Chief Press Secretary, clarified that the ex-governor made no such statement during his recent interview with Arise Television. According to him, Okowa merely acknowledged that during the campaigns, it became evident that many southern Nigerians had resolved to support a presidential candidate from the South.
He emphasized that this sentiment significantly influenced voting patterns and led to strong showings by Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi in the region. He also attributed PDP’s underperformance in the South to the overwhelming surge of the “Obidient Movement.”
Despite this regional shift, Ifeajika said Okowa remained loyal to the PDP and fulfilled his duties as a committed party man. He dismissed suggestions that Okowa’s political choices were influenced by any ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), noting that all questions had been answered satisfactorily.
On speculations of defection and cracks within Delta PDP, Ifeajika stated that any political realignment in the state was a collective decision taken by stakeholders in response to issues at the national level.
He further affirmed that the relationship between former Governors Okowa and James Ibori remains cordial.
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