DELTA 2023: It Is Ijaw's Turn To Produce Next Governor, IYC President Declares
With the completion of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), gentleman agreement to rotate the governorship slot round the three senatorial districts of Delta state with Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, completing Delta north slot in 2023, there is a renewed call for tribe or ethnic nationalities taking the bull by the horn with the Ijaw nation on the saddle.
Speaking exclusively Monday evening with four selected online platforms, the position of the Ijaw Nation to produce the next governor of the state was made known by the President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), worldwide, Barr Pereotubo Oweilaemie, in Warri, Delta state.
Asked on what step the Ijaw Nation would take if the PDP denies them the ticket, he said: "I am not a party man and I am not talking as a PDP, or APC or AC or Accord. I am talking in my capacity as the president of Ijaw Youth Council".
He continued: "Anybody that wants to win election in 2023, must feature an Ijaw man as governor of Delta state otherwise, you will fail, Ijaw people will vote against you", he warned.
The IYC president who doubles as the president, Niger Delta Youths, revealed that the reason the Ijaw Nation resisted the cabals from altering the arrangement reached by trying to stop the reelection bid of the Incumbent governor was to enable the Ijaw produce the next governor.
"The Ijaw people met in Pa E.K Clark's house and resolved that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. That His Excellency Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa must be allowed to do a second tenure. That is the only way an Ijaw man can become the governor of Delta state after Okowa".
Barr Oweilaemie, disclosed that the Ijaw Nation was already putting structures in place to ensure that an Ijaw man succeeds the Incumbent governor, "and we will do everything within our reach to see that an Ijaw man becomes governor of Delta state for once after Okowa and we expect the sitting governor to support that Ijaw project because Ijaw Nation supported him".
He said any alleged arrangement behind the Ijaw Nation for governor Okowa to bequeath the governorship position to any other tribe is alien to them, "We are not aware and it is not true and I don't think that is from the governor of Delta state", he said.
While reiterating the position of the Ijaw Nation to produce the next governor of the state, he insisted that the senatorial arrangement has been successfully completed, "We are talking about ethnic nationality now and the Ijaw people in Delta state are not people that you can push away and the Ijaw Nation is saying that it is our turn and it is important. Whether you call it central, south or north, that is history", he roared.
According to the 7th Ijaw IYC President and third western zone president comprising Delta, Edo and Ondo states, "the Ijaw Nation is very interested to be governor of Delta state. Ijaw Nation is very key and it is very important for Delta state to survive" just as he sought the support of other tribes across the state to show understanding to ensure that an Ijaw son or daughter emerges as governor of the state come 2023.