Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that those accusing the state governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, over power rotation or power shift to Delta Central in 2023, should endeavour to understand his position, and not intentionally hit up the polity.
In a statement on Monday 31st May, 2021 in Asaba, he noted that Okowa did not make any unambiguous statement concerning power rotation, but simply said that 2023 gubernatorial power rotation politics will be based on the universal principles of equity, fairness, good conscience and justice.
He said, it was too early in the day for any political pressure/lobby group or group of persons to decode, misinterpret or assume that the governor will not allow power shift to Delta Central Senatorial District or to any other district for that matter, in 2023.
Oghenesivbe further asserted that until the governor specifically makes positive statements or pronouncements pointing to show that he is unwilling to allow power shift to Delta Central, it will be unfair and unreasonable for anybody or group of persons to castigate him or fast forward his actions based on mere figment of their own imaginations.
“Gov Okowa does not deserve to be misinterpreted at this time over power rotation or power shift. Whatever he said concerning power rotation was in response to a question, and he said all he knew about the subject matter. That is not to say emphatically that he is opposed to either power rotation or power shift to Delta Central Senatorial District, come 2023.
“Justice, equity and fairness could be driven from multifaceted angles in political arrangements, which is why we must not see governor Okowa’s strategic statements as a proof of his resistance to power shift or power rotation within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, family in the state.
“Leaders of our great party, PDP, as rightly suggested by the governor, will meet at the appropriate time to brain storm on the way forward as regard 2023 politics, and thereafter kick start the process of electing another PDP governor for the state.
“It is on record that the State Party Chairman, Barr Kingsley Esiso, as well as Delta Central PDP leadership have unambiguously stated publicly that power must shift to Delta Central Senatorial District in 2023.
It is also on record that PDP Delta under the leadership of the governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, did not refute the position of the party Chairman or Delta Central PDP on power shift to Delta Central. Therefore, Okowa does not deserve any form of misinterpretation as regard power shift or power rotation within PDP family in the state.
“This administration has two more years of active service delivery to the people. And in furtherance of the governor’s promise during his 6th good governable anniversary speech, he will efficiently and strategically combine electioneering politics with business of governance, as we actively commence 2023 political activities in Delta State.
“We must, therefore, keep our fingers crossed until a meeting of the State party leaders on 2023 politics is held.
“And in the meantime, aspirants and their promoters/supporters should go about their political consultations, alignments and realignments,” Oghenesivbe said.