The camp of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State depleted further ahead of Saturday, March 18, 2023, rescheduled governorship and House of Assembly elections following the dumping of the party by the leadership and members of the Delta Youth Decide.
Delta Youth Decide was hitherto a political pressure group under the PDP with over 9000 members spread across the 25 local government areas of the state.
The group on Wednesday at a press conference in Ovwian, Udu Local Government Area announced its endorsement of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and blamed the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the plunging the PDP in the state in a messy situation capable of stalling its dominance of the governorship seat which it held since 1999.
President of Delta Youth Decide, Comrade Ikimi Efekoha in the group’s press statement hinged their decision to dump the PDP in answer to the call of Hon. Lord Keston, who is a recognised leader of the APC in Delta State to cross over to APC.
He noted that Senator Omo-Agege is the best and most qualified candidate to govern the Delta State and expressed the displeasure of the group over the loans so far collected by the Okowa-led administration “for personal use instead of the development of the state” adding that “We as PDP youths advised the State Governor to settle his difference with our Political Leader Chief James Onanefe Ibori but he refused”.
He added that “We as PDP youths also advised the Governor to allow the Urhobos to choose the next Governor since it is the turn of the Urhobos to produce the next Governor of the State, again he refused.
“We, therefore, make bold to call on all our members and their families across the state to campaign and vote massively for DSP Ovie Omo-Agege as the next Governor of Delta State come March 18th 2023.”
Fielding questions from journalists, Comrade Efekoha said “I know Omo-Agege, he is a straightforward person. Omo-Agege is a man of his word. We believe he is going to do better”.
On the preparedness of Delta Youth Decide to work towards ensuring the victory of Senator Omo-Agege in the March 18 gubernatorial election in Delta State, Comrade Efekoha revealed that “Our men are on ground 24 hours. We are going to stand by the polling units to vote, make sure the votes are counted and do a proper follow-up because we don’t want anybody coming out to fig the election.
“So, we are going to protect our votes this time. Let us for once as youths protect our votes.”