From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The National Democratic Consciousness (NDC), a social-political-think-tank, has said the decision by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to have picked Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State as running mate, was a step ahead to victory in the forthcoming election in the country.
This was contained in a statement signed by its President, Henry Duke Tenebe and made available to newsmen in Benin.
The group in its statement said, it has attested to the sterling qualities of Governor Okowa and also hailed the foresight of the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in his choice of a running mate.
While reaffirming the group’s commitment to ensuring the victory of the party in the 2023 presidential election, it described the choice of Governor Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate of the PDP as “poignant as well as a political masterstroke”, adding that he has all the trappings of paving way for the party’s landslide victory in the 2023 general election.
The statement, in highlighting some of the sterling qualities of Governor Okowa, harped on his calmness, winning aura, garnered administrative, political acumen and importantly, his charisma and humility, insisting that these are rare attributes that stand him out from the crowd.
The release said it was not in any way surprised at the preference of Abubakar to pick Dr Okowa as his running mate, stating further that it is obvious that Abubakar is already aware of the pedigree of Okowa and so did not hesitate to be prompted before making the right decision.
In particular, the group its statement stated that Governor Okowa enjoys the confidence of his peers, noting that as a former chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, South-South, he provided insightful and purposeful leadership.
The statement admonished aggrieved PDP members across the country who have taken up arms over the choice of Governor Okowa to sheathe their sword and support his candidature.
It also urged the party’s stakeholders not to dissipate their energy on frivolities but rather to channel such energies on how to bring to a quick end the misrule, cluelessness, and ineptitude that has characterized the seven-odd years of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.