By Julius Oweh
Yesterday, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, showed its strength in the state with the inauguration of the campaign council in Asaba, the state capital. The major road to the PDP campaign headquarters was closed to traffic. This reporter decided to take the décor from the Federal Medical Centre through the Tipper garage. There was also human and vehicular traffic and I had to trek to the campaign headquarters. At 11.36 am when this reporter arrived at the venue of the event, there was a sea of human beings and the favorite colour was yellow. I joined a group of journalists who were already on ground to beam the event to the outside world.
There was plenty of music and dancing and the musicians did not disappoint as they continued to innovate songs with names of Atiku, Okowa and Sheriff. Banners of candidates contesting for elective positions were outdoing each other with women and youths leading the various groups. But the banner of the governorship candidate Sheriff Oborevwori stood out. There was a particular lady in military fatigue that stole the show. Despite her small size, she made that up by her dexterity in dancing to the tune of music. There was also a young man who was always ringing bell and throwing it up and down in acrobatic fashion. The famous song was PDP de come, APC kenoma (give way) and the crowd just loved the tune.
At 12.57 pm, the deputy governor of the state Barrister Kingsley Burutu Otuaro entered the arena and he was welcome with captivating Ijaw songs and the Ijaw women and men around did not disappoint. The atmosphere became electrified with the arrival of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at 1.20pm and Ekweume songs rent the air. There was jubilation and dancing amidst a battery of camera to capture the vice presidential candidate of the PDP. He was bedecked in white and a red cap to match. He moved around acknowledging the cheers of PDP faithful.
The occasion started with the rendition of the national anthem at 1.30pm and that was followed by prayer. The master of ceremony told some of the dignitaries on the podium to come down but they refused. However, the state chairman of the party Barrister Kingsley Esiso was invited to inaugurate the campaign council. Esiso beaming with smiles seeing the multitude of people said that the campaign to Aso Rock 2023 had already begun and same with the road to Government House Asaba. He took a swipe at the APC governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for saying that he has the capacity to govern the state. Esiso wondered why such capacity was not deployed to construct the Agbor- Warri Road and the Benin- Warri road which are in very bad shape. He questioned Omo-Agege for not using his influence as the deputy senate president to influence projects to Delta State. The PDP chairman maintained that the so called capacity of the APC candidate was to influence projects to his village, Orogun.
He called on all members of the campaign council to stand up and be so inaugurated. There was a mild drama when Esiso called on Okowa to stand up and be inaugurated as member of the campaign council. He charged all members of the campaign council to go to their wards and units and canvass for votes for the PDP, stressing that the campaign was more of grassroots based. He ended the address by saying that Delta State remains a PDP state amidst shouts of PDP, power to the people.
It was the turn of Oborevwori to address the PDP faithful. The governorship candidate was welcomed with music, and he demonstrated a few dancing steps. He began by calling the governor my original Oga and giving glory to God for making him the flag bearer of the party. Said Oborevwori:I thank God for the opportunity to address you today as the flag bearer of our great party in the 2023 gubernatorial election. I believe I speak the minds of majority of us here when I say that, the last five months have been quite exacting. There have been anxious and trying moments but at the end of the day, we have come out better, stronger, more united, and determined to deliver all the PDP candidates in the forthcoming general elections. My profound gratitude and appreciation go to every one of you for the confidence you have reposed in me to fly flag of the party in the governorship election. It is quite humbling and with Gods enabling grace, I pledge to deploy everything at my disposal to ensure that the hopes and aspirations of all our party members are realized. He also appreciated the state governor for his support and developmental efforts in the state. He said the campaign has been made easy for him because of the achievements of Okowa. The governorship hopeful explained the MORE agenda to the people. He said thus : For those who may still be in the dark, MORE is an acronym for : Meaningful Development, Opportunities for all, Realistic Reforms and Enhanced Peace and Security. My promise to all Deltans is that I will listen more, do more, and achieve more. At 2.10pm, a popular comedian I Go Dyewas called upon to entertain the crowds. He sent everyone laughing and gasping for breath because of his ribs cracking jokes. Eventually the PDP vice presidential candidate, Okowa was called upon to give his address. As usual, the shouts ofEkweumeand music rent the air. Okowa was in his elements as he danced and waved to the crowd. He started by saying that the ceremony was wonderful and the party was already in the campaign mood judging by the crowds. He said that APC has made Nigeria the world poverty capital. He pledged that PDP would rescue Nigeria, rebuild and reset the country working again for the good of all citizens. Listen to Okowa:There is only one team that can deliver Nigeria out of where we are and that is the Atiku Okowa ticket.
I have looked at all of them and ordinarily they would have been capable in a country that works but we are now in a country that is not working so you need those who know what to do. It is the Atiku Okowa ticket of the PDP that can take us out of where we are and move us forward. PDP wont lie to Nigerians, we have a difficult task but working with Nigerians we will get the country working again. The APC has not done well for this nation, they have taken us into troubled times, they have made our people lose jobs, our people have lost their businesses, they have led us to insecurity.
The governor therefore advised PDP members to go to the wards and units to campaign for the party. He also told the party faithful that they would be seeing less of him because of the national assignment as vice presidential candidate. He therefore pleaded with members to work for the party so that victory would be assured. He emphasized that members should work harder for the party because for the first time a vice president could come from Delta State. That signaled the end of the occasion with the rendition of the national anthem at 2.40 pm. It was indeed and in truth a political carnival made out of campaign council inauguration
