In this report, INNEH BARTH writes that the second term victory of Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, is a result of service delivery
The much expected governorship election in Delta State has come and gone with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) emerging victorious winning with a wide merging to defeat his closest and main challenger, Chief Great Ogboru of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
With this victory, Okowa is expected to serve another term of four years, making it a two-term of eight years. His much talked about second term election may have come and gone, it is not without some hiccups. His victory, expectedly, was as a result of hard work and dedication to a laid down political strategy.
The electoral body, at exactly 2:30 pm Monday, March 11, 2019, declared the second term seeking Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as the winner of the 9th March Governorship election.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Seth Accra-Jaja of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, while declaring Okowa said he was returned having satisfied all the requirements as prescribed by the law.
The Returning Officer declared that the PDP candidate polled a total of 925,274 votes to beat his closest rival, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled a total of 215,938 votes. The third runners up, according to the Returning Officer, polled 2,032 votes.
By the result of the election, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has successfully secured the mandate of all Deltans for a second term in office that will be officially flagged-off on May 29, 2019.
Accordingly, and as observed by many political watchers, Governor Okowa’s overwhelming victory never came as a surprise. This is because the governor has done everything possible to ensure he emerge victorious.
There were many factors that counted for the governor’s re-election. As soon as he got the mandates of the people for his first term, he never played politics with good governance. He started by executing key projects of economic importance. For instance, the governor has constructed over 350 roads network across the 25 Local Government Areas of Delta. He has tackled the problem of flooding in Asaba, Warri and other major cities in state.
The education sector was not left out; the governor has changed the status of all the technical colleges in Delta. With his SMART agenda where youths employment have greater focused, the technical colleges have taking care of the needs of many young school leavers, who hitherto have been without any meaningful thing to do, especially those who could not get admission to further their studies.
The governor has also ran all-inclusive government by making sure that virtually all interest groups in the state were accommodated in term of political appointments and awards of contracts. This has made it possible for less acrimony and bitterness in the state. As at last counts, political office holders appointed at the state and that of those in the LGAs are well over 4000. As expected, these political aides worked hard and indeed delivered to PDP at the polls.
There is also unwritten political arrangement that had made it possible for all the three senatorial districts in the state to governed the state, its expected that, Governor Okowa from Delta North, should be supported to have his second. Delta North Senatorial District where Governor Okowa came from, has played pivotal roles in the emergence of former governor James Ibori from Delta Central and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan from Delta South, so it was easyto market governor Okowa for a second term.
Other factors included the controversy in the APC. Since the Congress of the All Progressives Congress mid 2018, the party has been embroiled in internal crisis leading to the emergence of two factional Chairmen of the party in the state. The crisis became very intense in the build up to the party’s primaries even after the emergence of Chief Great Ogboru, the party never knew peace. The inability of the APC to put it house together to form a strong campaign team making it possible for the PDP to woe most of its strong men to it side may have worked greatly for the governor.
Speaking on the re-election of governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Ambassador Oke Idawene, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Delta State, described the victory as proof of enduring policies and people oriented programmes of his government.
He said the victory is a win for all Deltans, noting that Okowa’s re-election, is like the reemergence of a phoenix, held no surprise because the turnout of voters and Okowa’s large support base is testament of his sterling leadership qualities and efforts.
He said, ”Senator Okowa has proved himself invaluable in every material particular to Deltans, his supporters as well as onlookers, hence no victory is too great for his efforts. I do believe that the development strides and empowerment disposition in his first term are but a litmus test, as Deltans will sure get ten times over the package with his re-emergence.”
He explained that Deltans spoke with one voice for the first time hence the governor won 23 out of 25 LGAs. He added that Okowa’s humility, hard work had paidoff. He encouraged all to join in the victory dance and work with the governor in moving the state forward.
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“Apart from the humility of the governor, other political party candidates in the election didn’t campaign, some of them were just making noise on the media. The performance of the governor in terms of developmental infrastructures were unprecedented, the governor gave empowerment to every stakeholders in the state irrespective of political parties.”
Idawene adviced the governor to continue to be a listening governor saying he should continue to be a governor of Deltans because all Deltans delivered him not PDP alone.
“The gold fish, like the saying goes, has no hiding place. It is the good things a person placed in a leadership position, and his non-stylized form of governance that speak for him, and makes him win the heart of many, friends and foes inclusive; not the ethnically- biased mind attached to a leader’s style of governance. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa through his quality governance has continued to be showered with accolades by those who truly appreciate what principle of true leadership entails; the dynamic, focused and detribalized leadership found in Governor Okowa is doing in the state. People say he is about the most cherished and appreciated. This is what the electorate have proven in the state.”
Governor Okowa remain a hero, considering the fact that the commendations that has been very out-pouring on him cut across the three senatorial districts of the State and beyond, and not just from one district that is being favoured to the detriment of others.
Many prominent Deltans, and non-Deltans, the high and low, have been pouring encomiums on the peoples’ governor to the envy of those leaders that were privileged to be in leadership positions in the country but never performed, but were rather interested in siphoning money, stashing them in boxes and carried to abroad and buying expensive buildings in Europe and America, and building refineries in foreign lands while majority of those they claim to be representing kept languishing in abject penury, hunger and constant gnashing of their teeth. Governor Okowa sterling leadership qualities are second to none.
The national president Anioma Youth Forum, Felix Akaji who spoke exclusively to Leadership on the victory of governor Okowa, further lent weight to the genuine happiness and expression of purpose Deltans have been pouring on governor Okowa’s good leadership qualities, saying: “I think he is one governor with highest number of encomiums so far in the country if we have a way of carrying out the statistics.”
A highly-elated youth leader sincerely acknowledged the good work the governor’s has been doing across the state, saying he has delivered the dividends of democracy not only through infrastructural development to the masses, but also through health-care delivery by way of free medical care to Deltans.
Akaji noted that governor Okowa has brought great pride to Delta State through his quality leadership which he said is daily being positively commented on by those with fore-sight, and through his heart-warming activities, has been able to carve a perfect niche for himself by being one of the most distinguished governors in the country today having performed exceptionally well.
He described Okowa as a good manager of people and resources which explained why he is steadily making rapid incursion into more progressive governance and being seen as a template by others in leadership positions that were being sluggish in their approach to things to start buckling up.
According to him; “under the governor’s watch, the state has witnessed an all-round development which has even brought smile on the faces of even his critics, saying that shows he is doing what is in line with many people’s aspiration as even non-Deltans have joined in commending his good work in the state. The governor’s astute style of leadership coupled with his prudent management of resources has placed the state in the enviable position it is currently witnessing.
“Many initially found it difficult to believe that with the state under the recession period when he assumed office in 2015, like the entire country, when governor Okowa came on board as the executive governor will not witness any meaningful development as he would find it difficult to do anything tangible because of the withered state of the drooping economy then, but like courageous man that he is, he took up the gauntlet and tried with the limited resources available to start ushering in development to the amazement of all which he spread across board, and that today has been the very spring-board of development Deltans have been yearning for to have.”
He pointed out that the governor overwhelming victory at the poll was a testament of his all inclusive leadership style coupled with his doggedness to see that things are done right.
“The perennial flood problem that used to threatenthe corporate existence of residents of Asaba, the deplorable state of the roads, and other infrastructural decays have been attended to. The Storm Water Underground Drainage constructed checkmate the perennial flooding of the city have been completed.” he added .
The youth leader said Deltans are happy for what happened in the state capital during the sports fiesta meet that brought the whole of Africa to the state. He said the benefits that accrued from the event by far, outweighed whatever problems critics said they encountered, saying that what the common man benefitted during the games was enough to give unlimited kudos to the governor because of the various trades that went on while the festival lasted.
Reflectively, scores of Deltan’s believed that Okowa’s second term bid was already a foregone conclusion as he had done what would earn him automatic ticket even without his canvassing for it.
But like some analysts asserted, it is hoped that he will sustain the pace and act in manners that will justify the confidence reposed on him.
