Immediate past Governor of Delta State and PDP Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has tasked party leaders, elders, stakeholders and party faithful in Aniocha North LGA to ensure that they deliver massive votes to PDP in the forthcoming Local Government elections and subsequent polls in the state.
Senator Okowa gave the charge during the reception to welcome Engr. Fidel Onwodi back into the PDP, on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Issele-uku, the administrative Headquarters of Aniocha North, Delta State.
Pleading with the Aniocha North PDP faithful not to be at cross purposes with the party, Senator Okowa urged them to ensure that their votes always count for PDP.
“Your vote in Aniocha North has not been encouraging. In Delta North, only Aniocha North Local Government Area had less than 10,000 votes in the last election.
“That’s why I am happy about what’s happening here today with the return of Engr Fidel Onwodi.
“It’s important that we are many in PDP. You have the Senator for Delta North senatorial District from Aniocha North, and you have two commissioners. But you people should raise our hand and not fall our hand in PDP during elections,” Okowa implored.
He further appealed to the Aniocha North PDP Family to be united, eschew bitterness and acrimony and relate with each other in harmonious coexistence and togetherness in order to move the party forward and ensure victory in forthcoming elections.
Returning Engr Onwodi, apparently overwhelmed by the massive turnout, expressed gratitude to Senator Okowa for the honour of being present physically to personally grace the event.
“I give God all the Glory for the success of this reception today and I want to express my deep and profound gratitude to His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, our political father and leader and indeed all our other leaders and party faithful who turned out in their massive numbers to make this reception a hugely successful event,” a tearful Fidel Onwodi expressed with joy.
He urged his supporters who returned with him to PDP, to understand that there’s work to be done.
“We have to go into the communities and bring all the votes to the PDP,” he said.
Speaking earlier, a member of the NEC of PDP and member of the Delta State Advisory Council, Dame Nkem Okwuofu thanked Senator Okowa for his love for the people of Aniocha North and for finding time to be at the event to welcome Engr Fidel Onwodi back to PDP.
Dame Okwuofu said: “Fidel is a good son and someone that can be tutored in the ways of the party. Today, having returned to PDP, he is one of the leaders in Aniocha North.
“I appeal to Aniocha North people to understand that we have work to do. We have become a laughing stock at the NEC, State and senatorial district because we produced the least votes for PDP.”
Dame Okwuofu with whom was Chief Barr. (Mrs) Josephine Kachikwu, the immediate past Chairman of the Delta State Assembly Service Commission, who is also an elder and member of the Delta State advisory council, called for party unity in Aniocha North, urging that everyone aspiring to elective positions should not be resisted.
“Don’t resist aspirants, don’t prevent aspirants from their aspirations in Delta North,” Okwuofu said, adding: “Fidel Onwodi has returned and we have received him and his supporters back into PDP Aniocha North fold.”
The Aniocha North PDP Chairman, Dr. Charles Ochei thanked Senator Okowa and party leaders for their presence, and disclosed that the former governor directed that everything should be done to bring PDP members who strayed away back to the party, pointing out that the day’s event is a fulfillment of the directive.
Delta North Senatorial PDP Chairman, Elder Moses Iduh, in his own comments told Aniocha North PDP Family that: “We need more unity in our party, in Aniocha North, and in Delta State.
He then welcomed Engr Onwodi for his return and for bringing together the crowd of PDP faithful in the local government area.
Recall that Engr Fidel Onwodi had decamped to the Accord political party to contest the Aniocha North House of Assembly seat, losing narrowly in the general election, after which he had opted to return to his original PDP family, after his brief sojourn in Accord.
Also at the event were office holders and party leaders of the party from Aniocha North and Delta North including the PDP Delta State Caucus leader in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Victor Nwaokolo, Dr. Lawrence Oshiegbu, Chief Emma Chinye, Hon. Dr. Daniel Odinigwe Odigie, Hon. Ochor Christopher Ochor, Comrade Ifeanyi Egwunyenga, Ogbuefi Dada Okonji, Hon. Kevin Eluemunor Okwechime, Ogbuefi Nnamdi Mohayem, Chief Cal. Nwawolo, Hon. Charles Emetulu and Hon. Emeka Elekeokwuri, amongst others.
