By Emeka Nwokocha
WARRI/Nigeria: Ahead of the 2019 general election, Host Communities of Nigeria, producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Delta State chapter, has thrown its weight behind the re-election bid of the incumbent governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
This was made known, Tuesday 29 January, in Ogbe-Ijoh, headquarters of Warri South-West local government of the state, during a town hall meeting organised by the Ijaw chapter of HOSTCOM, aimed at ethnic mobilisation and sensitisation of the indigenes of the host communities on the forthcoming 2019 elections.
The Chairman of Delta State HOSTCOM, Evang. Gabriel Isibeluo, who led other members of various ethnic chapters of HOSTCOM to Ogbe-Ijoh, said the town-hall meeting was a vehicle to canvass support for governor Okowa’s re-election, saying, “HOSTCOM is throwing its weight behind governor Ifeanyi Okowa because of his unmatched and verifiable achievements across the state. HOSTCOM has benefitted a lot from governor Okowa and he has displayed huge commitment to the growth of the host communities in recent times.”
In the same vein, the National Secretary of HOSTCOM, Dr. Peter Egedegbe, and the Chairman of Ijaw chapter of HOSTCOM, Mr. Kingsley Egere, described governor Okowa as a promise keeper, even as they called on Deltans to vote massively for him to ensure continuing of the dividend of democracy.
In his speech, the Commissioner representing Ijaw ethnic nationality at the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Chief Favour Izoukumor expressed delight at the role HOSTCOM is playing in promoting progressive democratic culture in the state, adding that the the pressure groups’ acknowledgement of governor Okowa’s glowing achievements in recent times was commendable. He urged HOSTCOM to be steadfast in their support for governor Okowa’s re-election in the upcoming 2019 election.
In a similar vein, the Woman Leader, HOSTCOM, Delta State, Mrs. Ngozi Echebe, and the Woman Leader of Ijaw chapter of HOSTCOM, Madam Loveth Egware lauded the achievements of governor Okowa in growing the economy of the state, including human capital development. They urged women to come out with their PVCs en masse to vote for governor Okowa and other candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming 2019 general election.
In his speech, Ijaw Youth Leader, Comr. Prince Okrikpa, promised youths’ suppprt for governor Okowa but appealed to the governor to bring to an end the lingering crisis between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh, saying, “the crisis has brought economic and social activities in the warring communities to a halt.
The ethnic mobilisation and sensitisation of indigenes of host communities is a state wide exercise being embarked upon by Host Commumities of Nigeria (producing oil and gas) HOSTCOM, Delta State chapter.
