No fewer than eight governorship candidates and the leadership of their political parties in Delta State have withdrawn their ambitions and declared support for the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, ahead of Saturday’s governorship poll in the state.

The political parties which endorsed the PDP gubernatorial candidate include Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party, and Booth Party.

The candidates led by Prince Henry Eze of the APM, while speaking at a news conference in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Thursday, said their decision to jettison their ambitions and endorse Oborevwori for Saturday’s election was in recognition of the massive achievements of the PDP, especially Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration in the state.

Eze said: “Delta is a traditional PDP state and for stability and furtherance of an atmosphere for inter-party harmony and cohesion, it became necessary to adopt a governorship candidate with good political credentials, pedigree, and general acceptability as consensus candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state.

“The choice of our consensus candidate fell on Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori of the PDP who happens to be the current Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.

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“Oborevwori has worked very hard, embarked on ward-to-ward campaigns, and done wide consultations with virtually all known stakeholders in the state.

“Delta State political stakeholders believe in continuity and the present Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has performed creditably well in office and it is, therefore, natural that another PDP Governor should continue from where he stopped in order to consolidate on the gains of his administration.”

He added that it was common knowledge that the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the country had plunged Nigeria into untold hardship and created an embarrassing security situation that led to banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and other security challenges.

“The recent acute fuel scarcity in Nigeria, the biting naira squeeze, and near collapse of our educational system have made it clear that the APC government is not one to vote for.

“As Nigerians battle to upturn the stolen presidential mandate by Ahmed Tinubu, we should not on the other hand be repeating the same mistake by installing the leprous APC government in Delta State,” Eze stated.

He noted that the eight governorship candidates came together to endorse Oborevwori as consensus candidate for the reasons which included;

“Delta State requires a candidate that would continue the laudable projects of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and Rt. Hon Oborevwori has proven to be a good administrator and a team player, having become the longest serving Speaker in the history of the Delta State House of Assembly and the first to transmute from one administration to another.

“Oborevwori is a calm, calculated workaholic, a devout God-fearing Christian who can be entrusted with the management of human and material resources.

“Delta people can no longer endure the pains of another APC government after causing suffering, anguish, deaths, and pains that are making Nigerians look like beggars in their own country.

“Like the Americans would say, there is no changing the winning team. PDP Governors in Delta have brought peace and development to the state and there is no reason why we should change a party that is doing well.

“From this end, the governorship candidates of APM, Prince Henry Eze, Emeka Bidokwu (AA), Oghenejabor Onome (AAC), Cosmos Annabel (APP), Emmanuel Ogba (ADP), Engr. Okolie Austine (ADC), Fred Obi of (Accord), and Umudane Sylvester of (Booth Party) are stepping down their governorship ambitions to declare their support for Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

“We have taken this all-important and crucial decision with the backing of the relevant organs and membership of our various political parties,” Eze said.

The Star