Okowa: My Defection to APC Is for Delta’s Common Good, Not Personal Gain

Ifeanyi Okowa says his defection to the APC was for Delta State’s common good and not based on personal gains

Former Delta State Governor and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice-presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, has stated that his decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not driven by personal ambition but by a desire to serve the greater good of the people of Delta State.

Speaking on Monday at a rally in Asaba organised by the APC to officially welcome him and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori into the party, Okowa said the move was a strategic and patriotic choice aimed at better connecting Delta State with the federal government under President Bola Tinubu.

“Today, obviously, is a great day for us in Delta state,” Okowa said. “When the news broke out on Wednesday, April 23, that we have decided to change our path, people wondered why. But in the history of a people, there is always a time to change their path for the common good.”

Okowa stressed that Delta State, as a significant contributor to national resources, must align itself with the federal power structure to access greater opportunities for development.

“Whatever decision we took was based on the common good and the need to change our path in the best interest of our state,” he explained. 

“As I did tell people that day, it was not about me. It was not about the governor, but the fact that there is the need for us to connect to Abuja.

The former governor, who served two terms under the PDP, reflected on the challenges he faced while in opposition and underscored the importance of Oborevwori having stronger ties to the federal government.

“I was governor for eight years. I was in opposition. I did my best, but we lost a lot,” he said.

“That goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that is in Abuja, of which Delta state is a large contributor, there was a need to connect to it.”

Okowa noted that the decision to defect was reached after extensive consultations with PDP leaders and stakeholders across Delta State. He described the move as “bold, strategic, patriotic, and well-intentioned.”

“This move is bold. It is strategic. It is patriotic and it is well-intentioned. That decision that our governor took, that we needed to move after consultation with the leaders of the party, which was cascaded down to the local governments and the world, is the best interest for our state,” he added.

Calling for unity among Deltans, Okowa urged supporters to rally behind President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori, saying the state was poised for political dominance and greater prosperity.

“It is time for us to stand together in great support for Mr President and Mr Governor. Together, we can truly dominate the politics in Delta State,” he declared.

He thanked Governor Oborevwori for his leadership, affirming, “We trust you. We believe in you. We believe in the decision we have collectively taken.”

On Sunday, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, announced that the APC structure in Delta State was now fully under Governor Oborevwori’s control, marking a significant political realignment in the state.