Ifeanyi Okowa says he regrets being Atiku’s running mate in 2023.
Newsone Nigeria reports that former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has expressed regret over his decision to run as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election, admitting it may have contradicted the wishes of his people.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Okowa described his acceptance of the role as a misalignment with the prevailing sentiments in Delta State—an issue he said he has deeply reflected upon.
Okowa offered insights into his political decisions, the internal shifts within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the growing support among Delta stakeholders for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
While defending his record in office, including infrastructure achievements, free maternal and child healthcare, and the performance of his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Okowa acknowledged that joining Atiku’s ticket in 2023 came at a significant political cost.
“Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.
“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people,” he declared.
Okowa linked the PDP’s failure in Delta during the presidential poll to that sentiment, acknowledging that while he ran out of loyalty to his party, the south was interested in producing President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.
However, Okowa was quick to point out that the tide turned just three weeks later in the governorship election, where PDP triumphed in 21 out of the 25 local governments.
