Ahead 2019 general elections, former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, has appealed to the Urhobo people to rally round the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa till 2023 when it will be their turn to produce the next governor.
Ibori made the appeal at his country home, Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, when members of the Urhobo Democratic Assembly (UDA) paid him a courtesy visit.
He stated that the greatest enemy of the Urhobo is disunity, admonishing them to remain united in order to judiciously use their majority advantage in future elections in the state.
“Delta Central and South have both enjoyed their eight years term each, and now that it is the turn of Delta North, it is natural that we support them for eight years before it will get to our turn in 2023.
“If we support them now, they will also support us when it gets to our turn. And the only way we can be stronger is for us to be relevant in our various wards, units and local government areas.
I know that there are some areas in Urhobo that have issues that needed to be resolved, in no distance time those issues will be taken care of.
In Ethiope West Local Government Area, it is a no-go area, even while I was away, PDP won all their elections here. We have no fears here,” Ibori, who recently returned from the UK where he served a prison term over money laundering and related offences stated.
He assured members of the Urhobo Democratic Assembly of his support and expressed happiness over their activities.
He also urged them to support the Governor Okowa-led administration as it will soon get to the turn of the Urhobo people.
Earlier, National President of Urhobo Democratic Assembly, Chief Arthur Akpowowo, stated that the courtesy visit was to express their happiness over the return of the former governor.
He said they were also visiting to get a direction ahead the 2019 general elections.
“We are very happy over your return to your fatherland, and we are here to pledge our loyalty as our national leader.
We will always adhere to your instructions and whenever you call on us, we will mobilize all our members accordingly.
You are a rare breed whom great politicians respect across the country because of your political prowess,” Akpowowo noted.
Members of UDA that were at the visit included chairmen of Ughelli South Local Government Area, Mr Paul Etaga; Okpe Local Government Area, Mr Godwin Ejinyere; Uvwie Local Government Area, Mrs Stella Dabone; Ethiope West Local Government Area, Mr Solomon Golley and former Udu Local Government Area chairman, Mr Raymond Edijala, among others.
and then