Ayu Opens Up On How Okowa Clinched PDP Vice Presidential Ticket

BIGPEN NIGERIA (www.bigpenngr.com) reports that Ayu said that Okowa actually earned the party’s vice presidential ticket with his outstanding works and contributions to the party.

Crisis had erupted in PDP after the party’s presidential primary won by former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, prompting stakeholders from the southern part of the country led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state who were angling for the presidential ticket to start agitation for resignation of Ayu since the presidential ticket went to the North.

Okowa, a southerner who emerged as vice presidential candidate equally came under intense attack by a quarter of people who believed he betrayed the South by accepting the vice presidential ticket.

However, speaking while inaugurating the multi-billion naira Ogheye Floating Market and other projects built by Governor Okowa in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, Ayu described Okowa as a brilliant and articulate man who, had continued to offer greater services to the party and the country.

He said that Okowa actually earned the party’s vice presidential ticket.

“Okowa is an articulate and brilliant statesman and we the leadership of the party decided that Delta State has to be rewarded for its contribution to the growth and development of the party”, he said.

Ayu, however deplored the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta by the federal government in spite of the region’s huge contributions to the nation’s economy, saying that Okowa’s outstanding development efforts in the state have given the people hope.

He, lauded Governor Okowa for the construction of the multi billion naira modern market which he said would contribute immensely to the growth of commerce in the area and reduce the poverty rate in the area.

He said that the situation in the zone was bizarre, given the volume of wealth it bore, and therefore called for  concerted efforts by all stakeholders to address the challenge.

In his remarks, Governor Okowa paid tribute to his predecessor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, who conceived and started the construction of the market which was later abandoned due to financial constraints and non-performance by the contractor.

“I was part of the initiative when I visited Warri North for the inauguration of projects at Oboghoro and Utonlila communities and I visited the market project and assured that we would take steps to re-award the contract.

“We got a local contractor, an indigene of the community to take up the job and we thank God that in two years, he was able to deliver and it is important to state that our people have the capacity to do great things,” he said.

Okowa urged the party hierarchy to support the development of the region, pointing out that “it costs so much to execute projects in the Niger Delta”.”When we take over government of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, I am sure that we will get to understand that the people of the Niger Delta truly have a very difficult terrain.

“If it costs a billion to build a project in some other states, it could cost up to N5 billion to execute such projects here,” he said.

In his remarks, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, commended the governor for ensuring the completion of the age-long market, adding that its completion would improve the growth of commerce in the area.

He said that the area was known for abundance of oil and gas but regretted that the people had not benefited from the proceeds from the exploitation of the resources.

The Warri monarch further said that building the market was commendable as commerce remained the best way to reposition Delta beyond oil and gas.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Projects, Mr Solomon Golley, had said that the Ogheye Floating Market was built at the mouth of the Benin River, by the Atlantic Ocean, on top of 6,000m2 reinforced concrete platform supported by over 160nos. of 450mm diameter piles.

He said the market comprised a landing jetty, 96 open shops, 80 lock-up shops, security tower, gate house, canteen, administrative building, banking hall, fish processing unit, warehouse building, toilet facilities and a protective fence on the platform.

Other projects inaugurated include, Odokun Secondary School; 3-km pedestrian road linking Oboghoro to Ogheye-Dimigun and a pedestrian bridge crossing Jorojoro creek to Ogheye-Dimigun, all in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.