The immediate past Governor of Delta State and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last general election, Ifeanyi Okowa, has provided the reasons for their decision to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Ifeanyi Okowa spoke at the grand reception organised by the national body of the APC to welcome them to the ruling party in Delta State on Monday.
According to him, the decision was for the interest and for the good of the people of the state.
Okowa said that it was not easy for him serving as a governor for eight years without the support of the presidency, hence the need for the current governor to connect to Abuja.
He said, “It is a great day for us in Delta State. When the news broke out on Wednesday, the 23rd of April, 2025 that we have decided to change our path people wondered why, but one thing is very important in the history of a people, there is always a time to change their path for the common good of the people.
“And whatever decision that we took was based on that common good and the need to change our path in the best interest of our state.
“As I did tell people that day, it was not about me, it was not about the governor, but the fact that there is a need for us to connect to Abuja, that goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that is in Abuja, of which Delta State is a large contributor, there was a need to connect to it.
“I was governor for eight years and I was in opposition. I did my best, but we lost a lot, and I did not believe that the governor needed to stay working very hard.
“And we know that we are very supportive of Governor Sheriff, because he’s doing a lot, but as the governor is doing a lot for us, he also needs to connect to the greater source of power and resource and goodwill in Abuja.
“And when we sat down after the stakeholders’ meeting, we thought that It was necessary to make this move.”