Oborevwori, Okowa, Delta PDP defection, unprecedented political tsunami, says Tinubu ~ Truth Reporters

By Andy Emephia

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the defection of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor, Senator Dr lfeanyi Okowa, as well as the entire PDP structure of Delta State to the All Progressives Congress ( APC), as "a political tsunami of unimaginable proportions"

The President equally noted that such has never happened in the history of the South-South region and indeed, barely in the history of Nigeria

President Tinubu stated these, at the Cenotaph, Asaba , while receiving the decamping Governor Sheriff Oborevwori , his successor Senator Okowa and the entire membership of Delta PDP , to the ruling APC

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima , the President such political tsunami wherein all members of the Senate are from the APC, the Speaker and all the house of assembly members , inclusive of the Governor and his entire cabinet, in addition to the council Chairmen and 500 Councillors across the 25 local government areas with the full compliment of the leaders and elders of the PDP are decamping to the APC is unprecedented

Describing the epoch making event as both a celebration of the enduring promise of the APC and a tribute to the vision , courage and foresight of "the great giants we have come to welcome into the hall of Fame of our political party", President Tinubu paid glowing tributes to former Governor lfeanyi Okowa for the wonderful relationship that exists between him and his successor , Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, describing Okowa as a great leader , and Governor Oborevwori as a greater leader , for treating his predecessor with respect and decorum.

President Tinubu assured Governor Sheriff and the decamping members of the PDP in Delta , that they are all co-owners of the APC, because, according to the party,s constitution, the Governor of the party is the leader of the party in the state .

Responding, Governor Oborevwori described the defection as a historic movement in the best interest of the state, while pledging to unify the APC in the state to ensure total victory for it in the coming elections .

Said Oborevwori : " What you have seen here today is a movement . It's not a defection. We have done consultations with our National assembly members , with leadership and stakeholders at the state level, the Senatorial and local government levels, inclusive of ward and units , and we all agreed that we must all joi the APC. When we stand for something, we remain committed to it. We have been in opposition for almost ten years "

National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje , while welcoming the decampees, said the core values of the APC is progressive leadership , and coincidentally, from what the party,s NWC has seen on ground in respect of the programmes and projects, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori , is a progressive Governor

Ganduje also said the party,s National Working Committee ( NWC) was highly impressed with the cordial relationship between Governor Oborevwori and his predecessor , Senator Okowa, traits, which according to him , was very rare in the country .

Earlier , the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum of the APC and Governor of lmao State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, disclosed the happiness of members of the APC with the new political development in Delta State .

On his part , former Governor lfeanyi Okowa said the decision to dump the PDP for the APC was made in the collective interest of the state,s development

He said it was not also for personal ambitions but the need to connect to the federal government, where significant goodwill and resources exist, especially since the state is a major contributor

The ceremony was attended by 16 APC Governors, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin kalu, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace development , Festus keyamo, the three APC Senators and one house of reps members from Delta state, party leaded and stakeholders from both the ruling and defecting parties , among others