The Media and Publicity Assistant Director of the Delta State campaign council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has countered allegations made by elder statesman Pa E.K. Clark that the governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, went against his southern colleagues in regards to power rotation in the region. Oghenesivbe stated that the matter of the 2023 Southern President ticket was not discussed in Asaba, but rather under the “any other business” section at a July 2021 meeting of Southern governors held in Lagos, chaired by Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The spokesperson for the Delta PDP campaign council also stated that the decision for all major political parties to field southern presidential candidates, as was done in 1999, did not receive support from the Board of Trustees and the National Executive Committee of the PDP. Oghenesivbe emphasized that as a loyal party member, Governor Okowa could not go against the PDP’s decision not to zone the presidential ticket to any region and that the Southern governors lacked the authority to impose the issue on the NEC and BOTs of their political parties.
Oghenesivbe went on to criticize the All Progressives Congress for their handling of the economy, including the mismanagement of the circulation of the redesigned Naira notes and a huge debt burden, and called on registered voters who have not collected their Permanent Voters Cards to vote against the APC on February 25 and March 11. He also urged Nigerians to continue to support the PDP and Atiku-Okowa to reset and rebuild Nigeria.
In regards to Delta State, Oghenesivbe assured that the M.O.R.E agenda of the governorship candidate, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, will advance the state beyond where Governor Okowa will leave off. He described Oborevwori as the most qualified, experienced, and focused candidate, and that his mission is to run an all-inclusive government that will meet the needs of all citizens in the state.
