UPDATED: 2023: Loyibo Speaks On Ijaw, Urhobo Governorship Bid

• marks Okowa’s birthday anniversary with N20 million donation for charity
• As Amori appeals to Ijaw to drop Governorship ambition
• Drums support for Urhobo, backs power shift

Chief Mike Loyibo, a prominent leader of the Ijaw nation and Prime Minister of Tuomo Kingdom in Burutu Local Government area, Delta State, has hinted on where the governorship pendulum may swing comes 2023.

Loyibo, spoke on Saturday when Delta Central 2023, DC-23 group, led by Chief Ighoyota Amori paid him a visit in his Tuomo country home to solicit for the support of the Ijaw nation for Urhobo Governorship quest.

He said that it would be wise for the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities of Delta South and Central Senatorial Districts,  respectively to calm down in their pursuit for who succeed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in 2022.

This is because, according to him, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the State, has a role to play on who succeeds him in 2023.

Noting that the DC-23 has a very valid argument that an Urhobo should succeed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, he told the Urhobos to be patient with the Governor to give a headway on where the next Governor should come from.

He said: “The DC-23 has a very valid argument. But the Ijaw Governorship is rooted in every Ijaw man. There is only one Shepherd and the Governor is the current Shepherd of the PDP political family in Delta State”.

Loyibo who also feasted over 3,000 persons including traditional chiefs across Ijaw nation in that ceremony to mark Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s 62nd birthday in the same occasion, said; “I am a follower and believer of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. The Governor has told me that he is still praying. So I want to appeal to all of us to be patient and wait for the outcome of that prayer because I believe that the prayer will be answered.

“Whatever the Governor decides, I will fully support. I’m not a man that can be intimidated by anyone. What I say, I have the capacity and resources to back it.”

National Chairman of DC-23, Chief Ighoyota Amori who spoke earlier, urged the Ijaw nation to jettison their Governorship pursuit and allow Urhobo, based on principles of power rotation amongst three Senatorial Districts in the State.

Amori who led prominent Urhobo politicians to Tuomor for the consultative visit, said: “I have been in this politics since the beginning. I was the General Overseer of the Chief James Ibori political family. Everyone that has become Governor after Chief James Ibori, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and Dr Ifeanyi Okowa are my brothers from the same family.

“Ordinarily, I am not contesting for Governor, so don’t misquote me. What we are after is how PDP will rule in Delta forever. We are not concern about what is happening in the centre. Our concern is Delta, how we can maintain the victory we secured in the state in 1999.

“We know that all the times, people from all over the state has always contested for the governorship position. But always, it is only the one favoured by divine intervention, based on the principle of zoning that always emerge.

“The governorship zoning has never been on ethnicity bases but on Senatorial bases. If you believe you can lay claim to it, the Isoko man is from the South, he can claim it too. The Ndokwa man can say it is Ika that went it should be our turn now.

“We are not here to stop you or here to force you, because it is your right, but we have come to appeal to you to allow us go and when it is your turn we will support you and that time no Urhobo man will raise his head to contest.

“Remember also that nobody has disobeyed the zoning arrangement and have ever succeeded. We tried it twice and failed, that’s why I am appealing to you to let this rotation flow.”

Highpoint of the ceremony, was a cash donation of N20million to the Governor’s charity project by the host, Chief Mike Loyibo and the cutting of birthday cake to mark the 62nd birth anniversary of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. Prayers were also offered to God on behalf of the Governor.