Amid insinuations that the political dynasty of James Ibori has been destroyed ahead of the 2023 governorship race, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, on Thursday, cleared the air saying Ibori’s family remained intact.
Okowa, who stated this while addressing journalists in Asaba, said they were only playing politics which was normal in electioneering period.
He said, “I want to tell you that the Ibori’s political family is intact and nothing has changed. We are only playing politics, which is normal in the electioneering period. What you are seeing now is politics.
“I want to say that I have not endorsed anybody. Many aspirants are using my name that I have endorsed them, but I think it’s also normal in politics.”
On the issue of hijacking delegates’ list, Okowa said, “I couldn’t have done that, the party met and agreed on conducting ad hoc delegates election.
“They went back to their respective local government areas and three ad hoc delegates emerged from each ward. We never allowed anybody to hijack the process, even some delegates who emerged in my local government area, I do not know them, let alone hijacking delegates’ list.”
Speaking on the zoning of the presidency to Southern Nigeria, Okowa said the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Executive Committee had not taken a decision on where to zone the presidency to.
He declined commenting on his vice presidential ambition, saying “I cannot comment on it now.”
Okowa said the reason he was not in the presidential race was because he was not led in the spirit to contest the presidency despite a lot of pressure being mounted on him to run, noting that, “I’m a politician with calculation.”
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