Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP,is never enamoured with publicity stunts.

Mild and mellow in comportment, Okowa does not woo media showmanship. But how come a man who never advertises himself like a Peacock before the press captures the most resounding attention? Why is a stickler for guarded reticence the champion of memorable resonance? That is the puzzle of the Okowa persona.

Nothing exemplified this in recent times like the towering standing of Governor Okowa at the Sunday November 7, 2022 Arise TV presidential Town Hall debate.

Natty in a smart suit, he was nimble in motion.

Whether in his assertion of insights and precepts, counter against posers and salvos, the PDP Vice Presidential flag bearer was at his eloquent best. Okowa’s gait on Arise TV elicited awe. His language civil, passionate and elevated. Succinct to the mood of a troubled nation in dire need of survival and succour from a rudderless centre overwhelmed from all fronts.

The media engagement was obviously hosted to interrogate the seriousness of those aspiring to lead Nigeria in 2023,as part of the all-important Agenda setting responsibility of the media.

Okowa had represented the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on the prime -time Television Programme.

Peter Obi of Labour Party, (LP) Rabiu Kwankwaso, New Nigeria People’s party (NNPP) and Kola Abiola,Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) were on the podium anchored live by Dr.Rueben Abati.

Neither the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu nor his running mate ,Kashim Shettima made appearance at the media call. A sad negation of duty when it mattered most.

Facing the nation with dignified calm, Okowa endearingly inspired hope and respite among millions of Nigerians articulating and envisioning realistic roadmaps on the economy, security, power and human capital growth.

While others, continually dwelt on blame games, hasty generalisations and combative prevarications, the PDP Vice Presidential candidate was steady with profuse actualities, explaining aptly and coherently.

His sound bites were unpretentious and poignant:

“ I don’t want to believe that in midst of scarcity and infrastructure deficit, what to do is to continue to save money … when the economy is in shambles, when the money is depreciating by the day. The right path is to ensure that you use the money for development of the people, to create entrepreneurs, to create enabling environment for industries to grow … so we must be cautious, the kind of language we pass out to Nigerians” He said deconstructing illusions of sanctimonious posturing.

Turning to another challenge, Okowa quipped pointedly that a partaker of an alleged “ destruction” cannot exonerate himself from such trumpeted misnomer.

In a multi -party democracy where the struggle for power looms at its fiercest, the declarations may be discomforting, but traducers would no doubt respect his soundness of mind and organized mien.

Among the peers under scrutiny, Okowa’s political experience was spell -binding. He stood matchless in clarity of thought and manifested enlightened vision.

It was a profound illumination, amplifying prospects of revival, cohesion and development towards a better Nigeria,in the face of hydra headed socio- economic quagmire, threatening Africa’s most populous nation.

But here lies the symbolism of Okowa’s sterling outing on Arise TV. His power of conviction towards national reawakening has at once regaled PDP as the only party truly committed to “rescue Nigeria”. His outstanding performance has shown that the PDP possesses the capacity to bring healing and a new lease of life to a very sick nation. Indeed, Okowa brought honour to his party and a great service to his country.

His pedigree prepared him for the task. Good breeding and sound education define Okowa’s trajectory. Atiku must be very proud of his running mate.

There is a sad spirit of heaviness in the hearts of Nigerians with harrowing hunger and hardship across the land. No thanks to inept leadership,tragically overwhelmed. Nigeria had never been this divided, stagnated and subdued in fear and hopelessness.

The Atiku/Okowa Presidency offers elixir of redemption and restoration come 2023.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/okowa-the-rave-of-arise-tv-presidential-debate/

At least, PDP is still relevant unlike APC and their runaway presidential candidate

Brb

Any presidential candidate that dodges debates is fraud and a scammer. For example - Buhari.

My support for Peter Obi Presidency is not because he's from South East, or that he's Igbo. My support for him is because he's the most media friendly presidential candidate in the history of Nigeria. A man like Obi is what Nigerians need for full accountability.
Nigeria needs someone whom can be held accountable for accelerated development.
A media friendly person is an accountable person.


I stand with Truth.

On security, Kwankwaso, Abiola, and Okowa spoke out of point on the Kaduna train attack. The question was specific, instead they spoke in general about their manifestos on security. Only Obi addressed the question directly as to how he would've responded to that particular attack as Commander in Chief.
I liked Kwankwaso's comment that no one can win the election by running on tribsl and religious sentiments.
Dino Melaye's question, not surprisingly, was a jibe at the APC but he directed it to Obi, probably because APC was not represented. Kwankwaso of course hit the APC for their absence. And Obi drew an applause the way he tackled Dino's question, even though the rules forbade applauses.
In their responses to the corruption claim of bandits that politicians steal and also appropriate for themselves national security structures, only Obi was clear about his position as an uncorrupted person in office. I'm from Delta. Okowa of course lied about taking development to oil producing communities to reduce insecurity. He didn't. I live in Warri. His drawback was that he was standing as proxy and spoke for himself instead of Atiku.
A panelist, Jibrin (or Jubril?), raised a question about 6m arms in the hands of bandits. Such statements baffle me. Who went to count them? Abiola shocked me when he said that the National Security Council has not met since 1999! So what does that constitutional body exist for? Talk about wasting resources! Obi dazzled of course when he addressed the number of policemen and its gross inadequacy. The man has an impressive knack for facts and figures. The fact checker upheld his claim as true. A claim by Abiola was debunked by the fact checker buy he stood his ground. Kwankwaso didn't fare too well under fact checking. Okowa didn't present facts that needed checking.
On the economic issues, Obi was clearest on what he intended to do to deal with the listed ailments. He spoke first and others latched on to his points by and large. Obi frequently speaking first tended to make the proceedings one sided, in my opinion.
On Jubril's worry that the billions candidates are investing in their campaigns would mean an attempt to recoup their investment when they win, apart from saying the PRP was not investing billions, I really didn't understand Abiola's answers. Kwankwaso did not address the concern either. He simply said the issue didn't apply to the NNPP. Obi adopted that of course. But the reality is that billions are being spent. Okowa reiterated that. Question is, how will they be recovered? He didnt address that.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that Tinubu would not be attending these fora. Either he has nothing to offer or he lacks confidence. Either way he's not fit for the high office of President. Another unavailable president will be a disaster.
On process, I think applauses should not be banned. They're the only way to acknowledge good points and assess the candidates. Secondly, one minute is certainly not enough to do justice to any question.
Time keepers appeared to be out of sync with their job.
Finally, known national ruffians and rascals like Dino Melaye should not be allowed in these fora. They just can't keep themselves in check. They're disrupters. Obi had to call him to order when he interrupted proceedings to allege that certain questioners in the hall were 'Obi people.' Every candidate had his supporters in the hall. He obviously came to the townhall with an agenda. He's a disgrace.
Overall, a good outing by the Arise TV.
#copied

Okowa was the man of the event!

If anyone vote pdp and apc it means they are foolish

That was how Buhari avoided debates and the press during campaign and continues to avoid the public till today

Ceenachi:
If anyone vote pdp and apc it means they are foolish

That was how Buhari avoided debates and the press during campaign and continues to avoid the public till today

And Tinubu is now doing the same

Okowa was the best in all the questions asked and facks check.
Peter obi shamelessly said he is not spending money on his campaign. That was the lie of a century.

Same was said of obi in 2019

The same way we warned you people about buhari in 2015 and 2019, is the same way we're warning you against voting for thief'nubu and Atiku...

Kidnapping, banditry, looting, unemployment, corruption, attack on freedom of speech has no tribe...even the people of ibarapa, ogun state are Currently living in Benin Republic idp camp after fulani herdsmen massacred them.

Our highways are now den of kidnappers.

Nigerians wake up and vote wisely, don't let sentiment and tribalism becloud your conscience...say no to Muslim Muslim ticket.

Thescienceprof:
On security, Kwankwaso, Abiola, and Okowa spoke out of point on the Kaduna train attack. The question was specific, instead they spoke in general about their manifestos on security. Only Obi addressed the question directly as to how he would've responded to that particular attack as Commander in Chief.
I liked Kwankwaso's comment that no one can win the election by running on tribsl and religious sentiments.
Dino Melaye's question, not surprisingly, was a jibe at the APC but he directed it to Obi, probably because APC was not represented. Kwankwaso of course hit the APC for their absence. And Obi drew an applause the way he tackled Dino's question, even though the rules forbade applauses.
In their responses to the corruption claim of bandits that politicians steal and also appropriate for themselves national security structures, only Obi was clear about his position as an uncorrupted person in office. I'm from Delta. Okowa of course lied about taking development to oil producing communities to reduce insecurity. He didn't. I live in Warri. His drawback was that he was standing as proxy and spoke for himself instead of Atiku.
A panelist, Jibrin (or Jubril?), raised a question about 6m arms in the hands of bandits. Such statements baffle me. Who went to count them? Abiola shocked me when he said that the National Security Council has not met since 1999! So what does that constitutional body exist for? Talk about wasting resources! Obi dazzled of course when he addressed the number of policemen and its gross inadequacy. The man has an impressive knack for facts and figures. The fact checker upheld his claim as true. A claim by Abiola was debunked by the fact checker buy he stood his ground. Kwankwaso didn't fare too well under fact checking. Okowa didn't present facts that needed checking.
On the economic issues, Obi was clearest on what he intended to do to deal with the listed ailments. He spoke first and others latched on to his points by and large. Obi frequently speaking first tended to make the proceedings one sided, in my opinion.
On Jubril's worry that the billions candidates are investing in their campaigns would mean an attempt to recoup their investment when they win, apart from saying the PRP was not investing billions, I really didn't understand Abiola's answers. Kwankwaso did not address the concern either. He simply said the issue didn't apply to the NNPP. Obi adopted that of course. But the reality is that billions are being spent. Okowa reiterated that. Question is, how will they be recovered? He didnt address that.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that Tinubu would not be attending these fora. Either he has nothing to offer or he lacks confidence. Either way he's not fit for the high office of President. Another unavailable president will be a disaster.
On process, I think applauses should not be banned. They're the only way to acknowledge good points and assess the candidates. Secondly, one minute is certainly not enough to do justice to any question.
Time keepers appeared to be out of sync with their job.
Finally, known national ruffians and rascals like Dino Melaye should not be allowed in these fora. They just can't keep themselves in check. They're disrupters. Obi had to call him to order when he interrupted proceedings to allege that certain questioners in the hall were 'Obi people.' Every candidate had his supporters in the hall. He obviously came to the townhall with an agenda. He's a disgrace.
Overall, a good outing by the Arise TV.
#copied

Bravo! Well summarized.....had to rewind to be sure i heard the train question correctly because aside Obi ......others were answering off point.....I enjoyed Kwakwanso and that's my second option.....I just pray we get it right come 2023