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The member representing Warri North in the Delta State House of Assembly and State Coordinator of Delta Political Vanguard (DPV), Hon Michael Diden aka Ejele has again posited that the noise by opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to take over Delta State Government House in 2019 remains a tall dream and a mere wish.

He told a mammoth crowd at Oghara, the headquarters of Ethiope West Local Government Council over the weekend that the power sharing agreement which produced the past governors from Delta Central and Delta South, in which they served two tenures of eight years each, must of necessity be honoured in 2019.

Represented by the Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, Dr Fred Oghenesivbe, he stated that Delta North could not be short-changed in power rotation because Chief James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan from Central and South senatorial districts governed the state based on the power rotation arrangement, adding that it would amount to crude injustice if Delta North was denied its eight years in that order.

“Those calling for Urhobo Governor in 2019, are well known serial failures in gubernatorial electioneering contest from 2003 till date. I urge the good people of Delta State to ignore the noise about 2019 Urhobo governor because Governor Okowa has since assured Delta Central people that he will surely hand over power to a democratically elected Urhobo governor come 2023,” he stated.

He appealed to Deltans to re-elect the incumbent Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa in 2019, so as to consolidate on the numerous achievements of the aadministration.

He enumerated some of the achievements to include massive road construction and rehabilitation across the three senatorial districts, youth and women empowerment programmes via Youth Agriculture and Skill Training Entrepreneurship Programmes (YAGEP and STEP), for which over 5,000 youth and women have benefited within a short time of three years in office as governor.

Diden scored the Okowa administration high in the area of quality health care delivery, sports development, agriculture, education especially the huge investment by this administration to bring back the six technical colleges, the water storm drainage projects in Asaba and other parts of the state and the reconstruction of Stephen Keshi International Stadium, upgrade reconstruction of Asaba International Airport as well as the successful hosting of the CAA African 21st Senior Athletics Championship.

“Oghara is the political headquarters and our national leader and Delta patron of PDP, His Excellency Chief James Ibori is with us body, soul and spirit. The Okowa 2019 project is on course and come 2019, those making noise about taking over Delta State Government House shall hide in shame.

“Urhobo Nation is united for Okowa and don’t allow any political contractor to deceive you because it is a done deal signed by the smart governor to hand over power to a democratically elected Urhobo Governor in 2023,” Diden assured.

Speaking to newsmen at the rally, Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Olorogun Williams Makinde who is also the convener of Williams Makinde Group For Okowa, said the good people of Delta Central have since endorsed Governor Okowa for second tenure through their national leader, His Excellency the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori and at different political events.

Makinde noted that Urhobo people are not greedy folks which is why Delta Central PDP and by extension, PDP in Delta State resolved to have one gubernatorial aspirant and candidate in the person of Gov Okowa, pointing out that those clamouring for 2019 Urhobo governor do so for selfish political interest, not in favour of the larger Urhobo ethnic nationality.

“We are committed to the Okowa 2019 project so as to re-assure our brothers and sisters in Delta North that we all have equal stake in the Delta project. I urge us to work very hard to ensure the landslide victory of Gov Okowa in 2019,” Makinde added.

Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Ossai Osenabi, Senator Ighoyota Amori, Director-General of Delta Political Vanguard, Hon Ifeanyi Eboigbe, Barrister George Orogun, Hon Lovett Idisi, Hon Efe Ofobruku, Chief Askia Ogie, Hon Maria Evwaraye, were among the dignitaries present at the rally.