Itsekiri women and youths from the three Warri Council Areas of Delta State on Thursday held a rally across the streets of Warri declaring their support for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s reelection bid.
The rally which was led by the Igba of Warri Kingdom, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, and represented by Chief Omolubi Newuwumi, the Omatamudieyin of Warri, said it was organized to appeal to Deltans to vote governor Okowa for a second term to enable him consolidate on his achievements.
According to Chief Lori-Ogbeibor, Governor Okowa has done a lot for the Itsekiri nation, adding that what the governor has done for them has never been done by any government for the past thirty years.
She also said that Delta State has been a multi ethnic group who have agreed on rotation of power, noting that it will only be fair to allow Delta North rule for eight years just like Delta South and Delta Central have done.
She said, “Delta State is like Nigeria and in order to have peace, we have an unwritten agreement where the governorship is rotated among the ethnic groups. It is the turn of Igbo of Delta North where Okowa comes from. We must give him the opportunity to complete his term for the sake of peace.”
Chief Lori-Ogbeibor added that another reason why the women and youths in Warri were declaring their support for Governor Okowa was because the governor has done a lot in terms of infrastructural development and has alleviated the sufferings of majority of Deltans.
She narrated how Governor Okowa built a jetty and constructed internal road networks in her community, Olero Creek, which before now could not be accessed without “folding ones wrapper.”
She said Olero creek is an oil producing community that has been abandoned by successive governments for years in spite of the huge amount of oil it produces.
She said, “I was in Abuja when I got a call to come and commission a jetty. I was not aware that a jetty was been built in that area. It was later explained to me that knowing I will ask questions, it was quickly done in three months before I started asking questions.
“It was said that the governor knew I will have to go through the swamp and pull my wrapper to my knee before I can get into my village. He dredged the whole area for everyone and and built the Jetty in three months.”
Chief Lori-Ogbeibor commended Governor Okowa for beaming his searchlight on Olero community and other riverine communities in the state.
“We want him to complete uncompleted projects and half done jobs,” Chief Lori-Ogbeibor added.
