KWALE/Nigeria: Former Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has reaffirmed his confidence in Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, declaring that the governor has demonstrated strong capacity for leadership despite the intense opposition that greeted his emergence as the PDP governorship candidate in 2022.
Okowa made the remarks on Tuesday at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Delta Special Economic Zone (Kwale Free Trade Zone) in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, where he served as Chairman of the event.
The former governor commended Oborevwori for providing purposeful leadership, sustaining inherited projects, initiating new ones and ensuring policy stability across the state. He said the administration’s performance so far had validated the choice made by the PDP in 2022.
“We have a governor who was prepared for the job and is doing it the way it ought to be done. I congratulate and thank him sincerely for the steps he has taken,” Okowa said.
He particularly praised Oborevwori’s commitment to project continuity, stressing that the governor’s decision not to abandon programmes and infrastructure initiated before his tenure reflects maturity and long-term vision in governance.
According to Okowa, initiatives such as the Special Economic Zone will unlock economic growth, generate employment opportunities and reposition Ndokwa and the entire state for industrial expansion. “People may not immediately appreciate what is being done here today. But in another five to ten years, the people of Ndokwa and Delta State will look back and thank you for laying a solid foundation for economic growth,” he said.
Reflecting on the political controversies of 2022, Okowa recalled the resistance that accompanied the governor’s emergence as the PDP candidate, but said he remained firm in his conviction that Oborevwori was the right choice. “When people objected and felt I had made a wrong choice, I told them I had studied him since 2001 and knew he would deliver. And I tell the truth, God confirmed to me twice that he was the man for the job,” he said.
Okowa noted that the governor’s performance over the past two years has justified that conviction. “I do not flatter you, Mr. Governor. I am impressed with the way you are going. Delta people must support and continue to pray for you because you are laying the groundwork for a stronger future,” he added.
He called on Ndokwa communities to fully support the economic zone project and avoid attempts to reclaim allocated land, urging them to cooperate to maximise the long-term development benefits.
Commending the management team led by Brigadier-General Mike Ndubisi (rtd) and Pastor Gordon Akpovie, Okowa expressed optimism that the project would attract multiple industries, unlock gas resources, create jobs and expand Delta State’s economic landscape.
He concluded by praying for the continued success of the Oborevwori administration, insisting that Delta is on a progressive path that must be sustained.
