Aide to former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has denied reports claiming the ex-governor regretted being the running mate to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 general election.
Speaking at a press conference in Asaba on Wednesday, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, Executive Assistant to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), dismissed the report as a distortion of Okowa’s comments during a recent interview on Arise Television.
According to Ifeajika, who also served as Chief Press Secretary to Okowa, the former governor never expressed regret over accepting the vice-presidential nomination.
“Dr. Okowa never said he regretted running on a joint ticket with Atiku. What he said was that during the campaigns, it became evident that the majority of southern Nigerians wanted the presidency to return to the South,” Ifeajika said.
He explained that Okowa acknowledged the political mood in the South during the interview, noting that both Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi gained support because of that sentiment.
“He merely analysed the situation and explained why the PDP didn’t perform well in parts of the South. It had nothing to do with regret or disloyalty to the party,” he added.
The aide pointed out that Okowa remained committed to the PDP throughout the election, having been duly nominated as Atiku’s running mate.
“As a loyal party man, he stayed the course. The PDP allowed all aspirants to contest, and Atiku and Okowa emerged. He couldn’t have rejected the nomination after being selected,” Ifeajika said.
He accused the media of twisting Okowa’s words and cautioned against misleading interpretations, calling the report “uncharitable and completely inaccurate.”
On rumours linking Okowa’s potential defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ifeajika said there was no connection.
He confirmed that Okowa had responded to petitions sent to the EFCC and had not been summoned again, as his submissions were consistent and unchallenged.
“Talks of defection because of EFCC pressure are baseless. Okowa has nothing to hide,” he stated.
He also acknowledged that the PDP at the national level is currently in crisis, describing the recent mass defection of Delta PDP leaders as a unified move by stakeholders concerned about the party’s direction.
“On April 28, what happened in Delta was extraordinary — a collective decision by members of the same political family to chart a new course,” he said.
Ifeajika concluded by saying the political relationship between Okowa and former Governor James Ibori remains cordial despite recent shifts in the state’s political landscape.
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