… And Okowa Got Second Term

By FIDELIS EGUGBO


THE last general elections have shown that Nigerians are becoming more enlightened and determined to participate in the electoral process. In Delta State, it was a sweet victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa who was re-elected as the governor of the state.

To enable him win in the elections, the governor bearing in mind that politicians are easy to boast that Delta State is PDP and PDP is Delta State, threw up a challenge to members of the PDP saying that members of the party should compete to deliver the highest number of votes from their units.

With such a challenge, it was no longer a question about whether the Governor will be re-elected but, the question was with what margin will Governor Okowa beat his closest rival?
Throwing up a challenge is one thing, the other is with what will those you are challenging going to justify their commitment to taking up the challenge? So, Governor Okowa first took the challenge of ensuring that as a Governor, he took developmental projects to all the nooks and crannies of the state.

Again, there is no Unit or Ward that does not have people who have been empowered by the governor and if you have been so empowered either by contract, political appointment or training; it was obvious that the challenge was on you to beat others with the number of votes from your unit.

There was no doubt that there were many political leaders before the elections and the challenge of delivering highest number of votes by the politicians differentiated the portfolio political leaders who are based in different hotels in Asaba from the actual political leaders who can mobilize their people to vote.

As I write this piece, most of the politicians are still assessing themselves based on the number of votes they garnered from their different units.

So, that Governor Okowa won the election was not the news, the greatest news was, how did his closest rival, Chief Great Ogboru of the All Progressive Congress (APC) raise 215, 938 votes?

The question most times, is still being discussed in hushed tones bearing in mind the performance of Governor Okowa in the delivery of democratic dividends, the issue of zoning of political offices and the fact that Governor Okowa committedly campaigned in all the local government areas of the state, no matter the terrain.

Governor Okowa polled 925, 274 to emerge victorious but, the amazing thing about the election was that it was very very peaceful across the state. Most Deltans came out with joy to vote for Governor Okowa because, in four years his administration constructed series of roads, hospitals, schools, among numerous others.

The Governor is reputed to have initiated the Job Creation Office, the first and possibly, the only office that is interested in creating job opportunities and nurturing the young ones to be entrepreneurs in the country.

Such persons who have been trained and equipped went further to train others and the story of Governor Okowa as phenomenon became subject of discussion in every household in the country and in different parts of the world.

First, Governor Okowa emerged without opposition as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP; most people thought that the elections would be a formality without contest based on the fact that Deltans believe in unity and equity.

All the major actors in the politics of Delta State scrambled to convince their people to vote for Governor Okowa in the bid to meet with the challenge of producing the highest number of votes from their units.

Governor Okowa shortly after he was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) attended a thanksgiving service organized to celebrate the victory at the Government House Chapel, Asaba.

The Governor attended the ceremony with his wife, Dame Edith, wife of the Deputy Governor, Dr Ebieri Otuaro, former Governor James Ibori and a host of dignitaries and Deltans from different walks of life.

At that thanksgiving service, Governor Okowa said, “there is no loser, this is the time to join hands together and build a greater Delta State. Our opponents should join us as I seek the cooperation; the partnership of all Deltans because, we have done so much but, a lot more will be done in the next four years starting from May 29.

As I seek for your cooperation and partnership as Deltans, I also seek for your prayers, we must work hard to take Delta State to greater heights; we need to be peaceful because, with peace, we will achieve a lot.”

Such statement portrays Governor Okowa as a good sportsman who harbours no animosity against anybody.

To him, the elections are over; all that matters now is for all Deltans no matter political leaning should join him to build a stronger Delta State.

The gubernatorial candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) candidate in the March 9, 2019 Governorship elections, Dr. Oghenejodiakpo Obire have already expressed his willingness to work with Governor Okowa to build a united and stronger Delta State.
Dr Obire who was in Government House, Asaba to personally congratulate the governor, urged other candidates who contested in the governorship election to congratulate Governor Okowa and team up with him to develop the state, noting, “after elections, it is governance and peace is essential for development to take place.

I came here to congratulate the governor personally because, the election was a tedious process and it is only good that we congratulate him for emerging victorious. If you contest in an election, you either win or you lose, but, as it concerns the governorship elections, we are all winners.
We are ready to partner with the Governor in whichever way he believes we should assist him, I as an individual will gladly assist him and I urge other gubernatorial candidates of other political parties to come out and congratulate Governor Okowa for us to move on as a state because, no individual interest or political affiliation should be bigger than our collective interests as Deltans,” the Urhobo, Delta Central-born Dr Obire stated.
Governor Okowa did not fail to use the opportunity to talk about what he will do in the next four years as he with all candour, said, “I must publicly appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for being very firm and fair and doing what they ought to do as a commission. We must continue to grow and know that whatever we do, it should be in the best interest of the country.
I want to appreciate the security agencies for standing for fairness and I must thank our religious leaders for their prayers and mobilization; we are all victorious together; it is a victory for justice, equity, fairness and a victory that will bring better love in Delta State.
My desire is that as I leave office as Governor in 2023, we should be proud of the job we have done together in our state and give thanks to God. Please, trust in the Lord our God.”
As we leave behind the activities of the contest, we look forward to the gladiators who contested against the governor, to bring out their blue-print and compare notes with the governor because, if they are genuinely interested in the development of the state, it is no longer about who is on the driving seat but, the implementation of those programmes to the benefits of the people.
While we join other Deltans in congratulating Governor Okowa for his electoral victory, we look forward to a more peaceful Delta State, an enabling environment for Governor Okowa to make the state a pacesetter in terms of development without distractions.

(As published on page 10 of The Pointer Newspaper of Sunday, March 17, 2019)