Why I Regretted Running With Atiku In 2023 – Okowa
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has admitted that his decision to run as vice-presidential candidate alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 general election may have gone against the wishes of the people of Delta State.
Speaking during a television programme on Monday, Okowa described his acceptance of the role as a misstep that did not align with the prevailing political sentiment in the region—a realization he said came after deep reflection.
“Even during the campaign, I noticed our people were not in support of another northerner taking over from President Buhari,” he said. “But by that time, the party had already made its decision at the federal level, and I had been nominated. In hindsight, I believe I should have gone with the will of my people.”
Okowa linked the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) poor performance in Delta State during the presidential election to this disconnect, acknowledging that while he stood by the party out of loyalty, the South was strongly in favour of producing the next president.
Despite the setback, he noted that the PDP bounced back in the state’s governorship election three weeks later, winning 21 out of 25 local government areas. “That showed the people still believed in us, and in me. They said, ‘You’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen.’ And they did,” he said, referring to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Okowa also addressed speculation surrounding his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), denying that it was driven by fear of prosecution or a desire for political protection.
“I have not committed any crime. I was never arrested by the EFCC—only invited. Petitions can be written by anyone, but it’s the EFCC’s duty to investigate. I have no fears at all,” he said.
He clarified that his first-ever conversation with APC chieftain Adams Oshiomhole took place only recently. “We had never spoken before because we belonged to different political camps and were not friends,” he added.
Defending his switch to the APC, Okowa said it was not a personal move but one made after extensive consultations across Delta State. According to him, being in the opposition had placed the state at a disadvantage in terms of federal presence and influence.
He also addressed criticisms about abandoning the PDP after decades of service: “Yes, I was a founding member of the PDP and played a key role in building it. But the PDP of today is not the same as the one we built in 1998. When the values and vision you once believed in are no longer there, you step away. I owe no one an apology.”
