The vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has assured Nigerians that his principal, Atiku Abubakar, would rebuild the country’s economy if elected as president in the 2023 general election.

Okowa said this at Otu-Jeremi during the party’s campaigns in Ughelli South and Ethiope West Local Government Areas of Delta State on Thursday.

The governor said the PDP knew how to revive the economy, saying the party did this in 1999 when it came into power after years of military rule.

He, therefore, urged the people of the state to vote massively to cross the one million votes mark to ensure victory for the party, adding that the more votes, the stronger his voice would be in Abuja.

Governor Okowa stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has destroyed Nigeria’s economy with many multinational companies and organisations relocating to Ghana.

Okowa said: “We did it when we came in 1999 and took the country to greater heights until APC came with their negative change that brought hunger, poverty, insecurity, and unemployment.

“We were doing well as a nation until APC came with their bad change but I am very much convinced that we will win because other parties are struggling.

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“All the problems brought into the country by the APC-led Federal Government would be addressed by the PDP presidency when elected.

“The APC has destroyed the very fabrics of our national development, with insecurity and hunger everywhere in the country. The Atiku-Okowa presidency will ensure that the current challenges facing the nation will become things of the past.

“Atiku will revive the economy of Nigeria because PDP as a formidable political party, knows how to revive the economy.

“When the PDP government came on board in 1999 after long years of military rule, we restored the lost glory of the country by resuscitating the economy to an enviable status.

“Regrettably, when the APC-led Federal Government came on board, they destroyed the economy which the PDP had carefully and passionately built.

“By the grace of God, this time around that l am working with Atiku Abubakar and with the collective support of all of you, we will make Nigeria great again by repositioning the country for sustainable growth and development.”

On the governorship election in Delta State, Governor Okowa said the PDP candidate, Sheriff Oborevwori, possessed all the requirements to be governor and urged the people to support him and all other party candidates in the state.

On his part, the deputy governor of Delta State, Kingsley Otuaro, said it was very evident from the massive turnout of party supporters that the people of Ughelli South have decided to vote for the PDP in 2023.

“We are happy because from what I can see here we are home and dry as the victory here is signed sealed and delivered, so it is our expectation that you translate this to massive votes for all our candidates,” Otuaro stated.

Also speaking at the rally, a former governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, said Ughelli South remained the economic base of the country as hosts to Utorogu Gas Plant but regretted that the people did not benefit from it and urged them to vote Atiku-Okowa ticket for the benefit of the people.

The party’s governorship candidate, Oborevwori, expressed delight at the turnout for the rally and assured that the people would not regret supporting PDP’s candidates.

He said he would complete the ongoing Orere Bridge and construct the Okwagbe Modern Market if elected as governor in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

The state chairman of the party, Kingsley Esiso, said Nigerians were unhappy with the mismanagement of the country by the APC-led Federal Government and had resolved to vote PDP to recover and rebuild the nation.

At Otu-Jeremi, an APC chieftain and former senior legislative aide to Deputy Senate President, Martins Umukoro, led over 140 supporters to join the PDP.

Umukoro said the APC in Delta State had become “a family affair” and resolved to join hands with the PDP to “rescue and rebuild Nigeria”.

The Star