By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for selecting him as the party’s  Vice-Presidential candidate.

Okowa stated this while addressing PDP supporters during the party’s campaign on Friday, in Ika South and Ika North East Local Government Areas of the state.

He said that the ticket was a demonstration of the confidence the party and Atiku had in his capabilities, describing it as a great responsibility.

The governor thanked the people of the state for their support over the years, urging them to vote massively for all the party’s candidates in the forthcoming general elections as they had always done.

According to Okowa, since the old Bendel State till now, nobody from Delta has emerged Vice-President.

“So, we are thankful and asking for your support because I know that you will back me and my party to achieve the task of recovering Nigeria.

“By the special grace of God, you have always supported me throughout my political career and I have seen Ika people come out in great numbers in the past, but I have never seen this kind of crowd in our campaigns here.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank the leadership of PDP and our Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for finding me worthy to be the Vice-Presidential candidate of our great party.

“I have challenged our people in Delta that as a state we must cross the one million votes mark and as people of Ika nation, I challenge us to deliver minimum of 180,000 votes for the party.

“I urge you all to justify my selection by ensuring that all our votes in Ika nation will go to PDP and God will bless you as you continue to work hard for us to deliver in all the elections,” he said.

On the governorship election in the state, Okowa, said that the choice of Sheriff Oborevwori as candidate was divine, urging Ika people and the entire state to support him.

On his part, Oborevwori, commended the people of Ika for their massive support, and assured them that his administration’s “MORE Agenda” would develop all parts of the state equitably.

Also, the State PDP Chairman, Chief Kingsley Esiso, said that Ika people were fortunate to have produced a governor and now vice-presidential candidate of the party.

He  urged them to vote 100 per cent for the PDP to justify the party’s choice of Okowa as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.

The Director-General, PDP State’s Campaign Council, Chief Funkekeme Solomon, said that PDP built the country from 1999 to 2015.

He assured the people that PDP would restore the glory of the country and reset it for greater heights.(NAN)