Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state on Thursday said he would not be distracted by attempts of some highly placed members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to pitch him against his predecessors.
Speaking while receiving hundreds of members of opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency who defected to the Peoples Democratic People (PDP), Okowa said all governors who ruled the state since 1999 performed very well.
He said that the attempts by some persons in the state to put him on a collision course with past leaders of the state would not work as he was focused on developing Delta according to the mandate freely given to him by people of the state.
He said that PDP as a political party believed that power belonged to God and that the people reserved the right to make their choice.
“We are a party that believes that power belongs to God and that’s why we are rejoicing.
“We also believe that power belongs to the people and that the people reserve the right to make their choice.
“Sometime ago, I said that power belongs to God and that only God will determine who will succeed me. I wonder why some people are angry about that statement because truly, only God knows who will take over from me.
“We are one family in the PDP and those who don’t have our character are angry because we always say the truth and they are trying all means to scatter our PDP family, but they will always fail because we have bonded very well together as a party.
“Together as a family, we can continue to make things happen; together as a family we change things in our family by working hard for everyone.
“We will not work to put money in one person’s pocket, because a day will come when I will expose those of them that are angry with us,’’ the governor said.
According to him, you voted for me to do what is right for the interest of the people and not to put money in somebody’s pocket; that’s not what you voted me for.
Okowa added that PDP had worked very well in the state, “beginning from Chief James Ibori’s tenure to Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and myself; we have worked very well and we are still working.
“If anyone says he is not seeing what we are doing, it’s either that they are blind or they don’t live in Asaba.
“Their attempt to pitch me against my predecessors will not work because I am not quarrelling with them. My predecessors laid the foundation for what we are doing in the state and I am building on the foundations they have laid.
“I am building on the foundation that I met. Some people are angry and want to cause quarrel between me and my predecessors but they have failed because no stranger will deceive us in this state.’’
He commended the people for their support over the years, adding that the coming of the defectors from APC would further strengthen the PDP in the state.
“I congratulate all of you returning home today; by the grace of God, the people will be happy with us by the time we will be handing over in 2023,” he stated.
Receiving the defectors, Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Kingsley Esiso, described APC as a failed party.
“Under their leadership of this nation, bandits have taken over, prices of food have skyrocketed, farmers can’t go to farm and children can’t go to school because of insecurity.
“They are dreaming and can’t see Delta. They can plan, they can gather, but they will scatter because God is with us.
“The party under my leadership will not tolerate any irritants. We will chase them till they meet their end politically.
“As a party, we take decisions in the best interest of the party and I want to reiterate that Senator Peter Nwaoboshi stands suspended and he must decide where he belongs; he has one month to do so or we will be forced to do the needful,” Esiso stated.
Earlier, Chairman of APC in Delta North, Major George Okafor (rtd), who led the defectors, had said that they were back to PDP where they belonged.
“My decision to quit the APC was largely borne out of my inner convictions that APC in Delta has remained an unending battlefield without hope for respite.
“In APC in Delta, things will continue to fall apart; I do not see them coming together even beyond 2023.
“Today, I feel good coming back home to where I am loved, respected and appreciated. I thank the PDP family in Delta State for holding forth and firm since 1999.
“I want to specially thank His Excellency, the Governor, for keeping the party together, both in the state and at the national level,” Okafor said.
The Deputy Governor of Delta, Mr Kingsley Otuaro; Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu; Speaker, Delta House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborewvori and other top government and party officials joined the governor to receive the defectors.
