PDP leaders criticize Okowa for accepting PDP vice-presidential slot

On Friday, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders' Forum (SMBLF) condemned Delta State Gov. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for accepting to be the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the upcoming 2023 general election. This was included in a statement signed by leaders from four groups, including Chief Edwin Clark, for the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders' Forum (SMBLF) and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, Dr. Dru Bitrus, President General, Middle Belt Forum and Prof. George Obiozor, President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide. The older statesmen described it as unspeakable and rather disappointing that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who is currently the chairman of the South-South Governors' Forum, is from Owa-Alero in the Ika North-East Local Government Area (one of the Igbo-speaking areas) of Delta State, would show such blatant unreliability to accept the position of Vice President.

They pointed out that 17 Southern Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), chaired by Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, met on May 11, 2021, in Asaba, Delta State, and made far-reaching decisions, including that the presidency should move south on the basis of principles of fairness, equality and justice at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari's mandated eight-year term.

They said Governor Okowa hosted that historic meeting, adding that the southern governors later met again in Lagos on July 5, where they reiterated their decision, and again in Enugu on September 16 to reiterate the call to reiterate that the presidency should rotate in 2023 to the south. “It is therefore very unfortunate that Delta State Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who should know better, has accepted his appointment as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's running mate. We have nothing personal against Ifeanyi Okowa, but his action is treasonous and amounts to a despicable pawning of the political future of the people of southern Nigeria,” the statement said

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