From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Mr. Kingsley Esiso at the weekend said he would support any governorship aspirant anointed by the incumbent, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as his preferred candidate for 2023.
Esiso’s position came on the heels of the commitment by an influential pressure group, Delta Political Vanguard (DPV) to the Okowa course.
DPV, comprising mainly PDP faithful, played major role in Okowa’s emergence as governor in 2015 and 2019.
Although Okowa is still keeping the name of his preferred candidate among the aspirants, speculations are rife that there is a cold war between the governor and former governor James Ibori over should take over in 2023.
Speaking at a New Year rally in Agbor organised by DPV, Esiso who agreed with the group, said the person to decide who the next governor would be is the incumbent, adding: “therefore, on Okowa, we stand.”
“We want a governor in 2023 that will follow the footsteps of Okowa, because we want continuity in road construction, school development, healthcare delivery and human capital development.
“Therefore, the governor in 2023, must be a man that has the capacity and capability to follow the footsteps of Okowa,” he asserted.
National chairman of DPV, Mr. Michael Diden who doubles as chairman, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), said he was fulfilled that the group had already discussed with people across board on the firm commitment to support Okowa to produce a successor.
“We met with DC-23, at the meeting we arrived at one slogan, ‘On Okowa, we stand.’ We have met with all governorship aspirants in the state and they maintain the same slogan, On Okowa, we stand,” Diden said.
He charged the governorship aspirants to hold their pastors very strongly for the governor to pick them as flag bearer of the party.
“My message to all the aspirants is that they should hold their pastors very strong so that Okowa will come one day to raise up his hands and as soon as Okowa raised his hands, there we will go. On Okowa, we stand,” he declared.
Director General of DPV, Ifeanyi Eboigbe, appreciated members and Deltans who took out time to attend the ceremony.
Chairman, Delta State Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Nkem Okwuofu, commended the governor for the conducive working environment civil servants now enjoy in their various places of work just as she reiterated the ‘On Okowa, we stand’ slogan.