June 23, 2022 would probably go down in the annals of Delta state political history as the day the Peoples Democratic Party, Delta State chapter rolled out the red carpet for one of their own. That day, all stripes and hews of the PDP family were in the cenotaph, Asaba to welcome the PDP vice presidential running mate and governor of the state, Senator Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa. Before the epoch making day the state controlled media houses, the Delta Broadcasting Service and The Pointer newspaper were awash with publicity on the event. In fact the publicity given to the event was most unprecedented. The schedule of activities were that the governor was to touch down at the Asaba International Airport at 9.30am and thereafter proceed to the venue of the reception but that was not to be as the governor arrived at the cenotaph about 1.55pm.
When this reporter came to the cenotaph at about 10.30am, the whole place was full of human and vehicular movement and that if you throw a pin into the air, it would find it difficult to fall down. There were men, women, youth and all shades of people including the hoodlums that made it a sad day for some people who lost their phones and other valuables. Outside the cenotaph was a mini market for food vendors, shoes vendors, clothes, those selling the mementoes of the PDP and some mobile bookshops that were hawking the new electoral law book. It was a beehive of activities. It was more of dancing competition as the various ethnic groups in the state tried to outdo one another. But one thing I noticed was that the women groups were in majority bedecked in colourful attires like peacock. Traders, artisans, support groups for Atiku, support groups for the PDP governorship candidate and legislators. Even the staff of the Delta State House of Assembly was around to give the speaker support thereby crossing the line of partisan participation in politics.
Present before the arrival of the state governor were the former deputy governor of the state, Sir Benjamin Elue, Matthew Mbu, the Ohanze Ndi Igbo youths, chairman of the party, Olorogun Esiso. The Arewa group and the Oduduwa people were highly represented. Equally present was the traditional Yoruba talking drum soliciting for patronage. There was plenty of music and the people danced out their hearts. A popular gospel musician, Chioma Jesus really thrilled the crowd for more than one hour. A lady sitting very close to the reporter asked a question : Is thing being done because of one man? Nobody replied her but this reporter understands that there was heavy mobilization by the PDP council chairmen and all those candidates gunning for one elective position or the other.
Amidst music and dancing, there was comedy to spice up the occasion and comedian Baba Wale was on ground. He joked about a certain family which was robbed of almost everything but the woman of the house instead of crying was actually jubilating. Asked why the happiness, she said that she hid her voters card. Amidst the laughter, the message was that premium should be attached to getting voters card as the instrument to effect a change in government. He also joked about the smooth roads in Delta State and that the witches were complaining because of the frequent accidents they get when going on their nocturnal mission. The message of Okowa as the road master was passed.
At 12.34 pm, the PDP vice presidential candidate was seen on the big screen displayed at the cenotaph and the PDP faithful and their friends went wild. From that moment the tempo of music was reduced and people were more glued to the big screen. All the airport ceremonies and the movements of Okowa and his entourage were shown and the people followed them step by step.
When Okowa arrived at the cenotaph at 1.55 pm, the PDP faithful went wild as the shouts of `Ekwueme` rent the air. He came in the company of his spouse, Dame Edith Okowa, the deputy governor Barrister Otuaro and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu among others. With his presence, a brief prayer was said and the national anthem was rendered. Many groups and ethnic nationalities pledged to work for the success of the Atiku /Okowa ticket. Among them were the youth wing of Ohaneze led by its president, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, Alhaji Aminu Madaki of the Arewa community in Asaba, Chief Iduh Amadhe, representing the Isoko nation, Chief John Oguma for the Urhobos, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo for the Ijaws and Chief Solomon Areyinka for the Itsekiri. The women wing of Ohaneze was also represented. The pledges of these ethnic groups are indicative of the acceptability of the Atiku/Okowa ticket across the length and breadth of Delta State.
At exactly 2.36pm, the vice presidential running mate of the PDP mounted the podium amidst shout from the crowd. Okowa thanked the people of the state and PDP in particular for honouring him with the welcome party. He thanked the national chairman of the party Dr Iyorcha Ayu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for finding him worthy to be part of the joint ticket, saying that both of them have the strength and character to win next year presidential election. Okowa said that the last seven years of the nation had been that of pain and suffering, promising to change the political narrative by rebuilding the nation.
Said the vice presidential hopeful :`Our candidate, Atiku Abubakar has a well-documented programme to rebuild the nation, a nation in which we can trust ourselves again, because today Nigeria is very divided and that is not the Nigeria of our dream.
He will tackle along with me, the issues of insecurity we realize that we have to provide jobs for our youths. We need to rebuild the economy and entrepreneurial programmes are key programmes for the Atiku-Okowa administration. Atiku means well for this nation and I know because I have discussed with him severally on the challenges facing the nation, but we cannot do it alone. We need the support of the youths and women of this country to put food on the table of all Nigerians. Hope is coming because that ticket of grace, hope and victory is coming and it will turn Nigeria round for the good of each and every one of us and Nigeria will yet again be respected in the comity of nations`.
With the end of the vice presidential running mate speech, that signals the end of the occasion but not without politicians sharing `goodies`. As I was leaving the cenotaph, a trader accosted me pleading when next such event will take place in Asaba. The poor man was not bothered about politics but his business.
Julius Oweh, journalist, Asaba, Delta State.
