Former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has defended his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying it was a strategic move to connect Delta State to federal power and resources in Abuja.
Okowa, who served as Delta’s governor from 2015 to 2023 and was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, spoke on Monday during the APC welcome ceremony for new defectors.
He was joined by his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and members of the Delta State cabinet, all of whom officially dumped the PDP for the APC last week.
The defection marked a major political upset for the PDP, which has controlled Delta State since 1999.
Speaking at the event, Okowa emphasized that the decision was not about personal ambition but about positioning Delta State for greater access to federal opportunities.
“When the news broke on Wednesday that we had decided to change our path, people wondered why,” Okowa said.
“But one thing is very important in a people’s history: there is always a time to change their path for the common good of the people.”
According to him, being in opposition had cost Delta State significant federal benefits during his tenure.
“I was governor for eight years. I was in opposition. I did my best, but we lost a lot,” he admitted.
“There was a need to connect to Abuja, that goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that’s in Abuja of which Delta State is a large contributor.”
Okowa described the mass defection as a patriotic move aimed at securing a better future for the state and called on Deltans already in the APC to embrace the new members to strengthen the party’s dominance.
He also urged Delta citizens to rally behind President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
“It’s time for the people of Delta State to stand strong in support of President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori,” he said.
The political realignment has stirred widespread reactions across the country, with analysts saying it could reshape Delta’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
