Former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has explained that his decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was driven by a need to better connect the state to the seat of power in Abuja.
Okowa, along with his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and members of the Delta State cabinet, last week officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling APC — a move that sent shockwaves through the PDP’s national leadership, as Delta, one of Nigeria’s oil-rich states, had been under PDP control since 1999.
Speaking on Monday at the APC’s official welcome ceremony for the defectors, Okowa said the decision was made in the best interest of Delta State.
Okowa, who served as the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate during the 2023 general elections, emphasized the importance of aligning the state with the federal government to access goodwill and resources from Abuja.
“When the news broke on Wednesday that we had decided to change our path, people wondered why,” Okowa said. “But one thing is important in the history of any people: there comes a time when a change of course is necessary for the common good.
“As I said then, it is not about me or the governor. It is about the need for Delta State to connect to Abuja — to the goodwill and resources there — resources to which Delta State is a significant contributor.”
Okowa described the move as both patriotic and strategic, noting that Delta State suffered during his time as governor because it remained in opposition to the federal government.
“I was governor for eight years while in opposition. I did my best, but we lost a lot,” he said. “And I believe that Governor Sheriff, who is working very hard, deserves to be connected to the greater source of power, resources, and goodwill in Abuja.”
He urged members of the APC in Delta State to welcome the new defectors and work together to strengthen the party’s dominance in the state.
Okowa also called on Deltans to rally behind President Bola Tinubu’s administration and Governor Oborevwori, stressing that it is time for the state to firmly align with the federal government for its own progress.