Former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, recent comments on his decisions to run as the vice presidential candidate with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election, admitting that it was an unpopular decision he later regreted has elicited spontaneous reaction from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show yesterday, Okowa disclosed that his acceptance to run with the then Party flgbearer, Atiku contradicted with the region’s stand on the choice of Southern presidency.
He admitted that this decision did not align with the people’s choice, which in turn accounted for the party poor showing at the polls.
“Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.
“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people,” he regretted.
However, Okowa was quick to point out that the tide turned just three weeks later in the governorship election, where PDP triumphed in 21 out of the 25 local governments.
“That showed the people still believed in us, believed in me. They said you’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen.’ And they did,” he said.
The former PDP stalwart revealed that Atiku was on his way out of the party in preparation for the 2027 election.
“I discussed the coalition with Atiku, who is on his way out of the PDP, before we moved to the APC,” Okowa revealed, confirming rumours that the 2023 PDP presidential flagbearer is rethinking his political future.
Okowa distanced himself from the proposed grand opposition coalition led by Atiku, saying it lacked clarity, structure and urgency.
“It does not seem that a viable vehicle for a coalition has been confirmed, nor does it appear that a coalition could build strength in such a short period,” he said.
Instead, Okowa threw his weight behind President Tinubu, calling for a full eight-year tenure.
He argued that Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 would uphold the South’s turn in the presidential rotation and serve Nigeria’s best interest.
“For the stability of this nation, it is best for us to have him complete his eight-year tenure. Then the presidency can move back to the North. I believe that is the right thing,” he stated.
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PDP would ’ve won 2023 polls if Okowa wasn’t Atiku’s running mate – Moro
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Benue South, Abba Moro, has expressed disappointment at the choice of the former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as a running mate of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar attributing the party failure at the poll to the wrong choice.
Moro stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today yesterday.
The Benue senator also has described the choice of Okowa as the vice presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general elections as a “serious mistake”.
He said Okowa’s claim that he regretted being the PDP vice presidential candidate when he failed to ensure that the PDP won in Delta in the presidential election showed that his “soul” was not in the party.
Okowa along with the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, had dumped the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
While speaking when he was officially received by the leadership of the APC in Asaba on Monday, the former Delta governor said the defection was in the “best interest” of our people of the state and the need for the people of Delta to “connect to Abuja”.
But Moro said, “Given what we know now, with the hindsight that we have now, some of us think that the party would have won the election if other candidates, other than Okowa, had been picked as the vice presidential candidate from the South.
“I think there is an error of judgment on the part of everybody that was involved in the choice of Okowa as the candidate. How else would you characterise this scenario that a sitting governor, a former senator and a presidential candidate of a party couldn’t deliver his state even to the presidential candidate.
“And to think that two out of the senators from that state were from the opposition parties other than the PDP.
“So, I think that picking Okowa as the vice presidential candidate in 2023 was a very serious mistake.”
He further stated that Okowa’s action showed a lack of commitment to the party.
“As it is now You can safely conclude that we lost the election because of lack of commitment.
Otherwise, how can you explain that shortly after losing his state, that ordinarily should have been a very easy pick for the PDP, instead of rendering an apology to the party and Nigeria, he’s now talking about regretting being on the ticket?
“His soul was not in the PDP. His soul was not in that election, and that is why we performed very miserably in Delta State.
When asked whether it would be damaging for the PDP if Atiku left the party, the Benue senator said, “Well, Atiku definitely has his own place in history and in the formation of the PDP. He has his own place in the organisation of the PDP.
“He has his own place as a very strong member, as a two-time presidential candidate of the party. Yes, if he leaves, it will create a vacuum.”
Party heads to court
The national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has resulted to legal battle thus instructing its Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, to prepare legal processes to take the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the party’s former vice-presidential candidate, and the entire PDP structure in Delta to court for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Speaking with journalists after the first meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, for the year, Acting National Chairman, Amb Umar Damagum, explained that the party was prepared to challenge the defection legally to reclaim its mandate, as the officials were initially elected under the PDP platform.
The Chairman further disclosed that the party has tasked Emma Ogidi, the Caretaker Chairman for the South-South zone, with taking over the leadership structure of the Delta State PDP.
Ogidi is also to search for new party leaders, while disregarding the existing leadership under Chief Dan Orbih.
On April 23, 2025, a dramatic defection saw Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor Oborevwori, and the entire PDP structure in Delta State join the APC.
This marked a significant shift in one of the PDP’s strongholds.
In a major political realignment, Delta’s Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme, state commissioners, local government chairmen, and the state’s grassroots machinery all joined the APC after a closed-door meeting in Asaba, which was reportedly influenced by the political changes known as the “Hurricane Tinubu”.
This defection has raised concerns of a potential drift toward a one-party state, according to opposition claims.
Meanwhile, the PDP has scheduled its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting for May 27, to further discuss the developments.
