The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, has advised Niger Delta stakeholders to stop blaming Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State who, was recently picked as Atiku Abubarkar’s running mate but rather, support him to succeed.
The Ijaw Council stated that pulling Okowa down amounts to rejecting the only opportunity available in that political party for the region especially as the PDP is the biggest party in the region with huge followers.
The IYC in a statement signed by its president, Peter Timothy Igbifa, advised that instead of pulling Okowa down, all stakeholders should rally round, close their ranks and support him.
Igbifa reasoned that Okowa’s current political status remains the only strategic and major position available to the Niger Delta in the entire arrangements for the 2023 general election.
The statement read: “The only best political position available for us in the Niger Delta now is the running mate and Okowa has been selected to represent the region which could have been any other. If Okowa’s PDP wins, the Niger Delta will have the opportunity of occupying the position of the vice-president again.
“We urge them to forgo their misgivings and support the governor in the overall political interest of the Niger Delta”, he said.
“Okowa did not make himself a running mate. The PDP and the presidential candidate, Atiku, chose him. The decision of the party is always supreme and it behooves the Delta State Governor to accept it. Besides, it is the prerogative of the candidate to select his running mate and since he has chosen Okowa, the only thing expected of all stakeholders is to support him”.
Igbifa said the region should emulate the north and support its own.
“It is high time the Niger Delta stopped the pull-down syndrome. They should emulate their northern counterparts who despite unfavourable political decisions, support their own.
“The South already has two presidential candidates from other political parties but doesn’t have any other position bigger and better than a running mate in the Peoples’Democratic Party, PDP. This region’s interest is paramount”.
Igbifa congratulated Governor Okowa on his emergence as Atiku’s running mate and pledged the support of the council for his aspirations.
He advised Okowa to embark on fence mending to bring all stakeholders including, his colleagues in the region, on board and carry them along in all his decisions and consultations ahead of the general elections.
