- Says Atiku Is A Migratory Politician, ‘Loves Dubai more than Nigeria.’
- Omo-Agege: Okowa is ‘Judas Iscariot’… Has Betrayed South
Despite its huge resources, oil-rich Delta has remained underdeveloped and impoverished, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said this on Saturday as he lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice-Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Accusing Okowa of plunging the state into huge debt, Tinubu said the opposition PDP has abandoned infrastructural development in the state and has left the state to rot away.
The APC standard-bearer said this at a grand rally, which took place at a fully packed Warri Township Stadium, on Saturday.
Tinubu’s wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, who hails from Itsekiri-Delta, the Vice Presidential Candidate, Kashim Shettima, Senate President, Deputy Senate President and APC Governorship candidate in Delta, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan all graced the campaign event.
Also in attendance were Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinnma, Governor of Plateau State and Director- General of the campaigns, Hon. Simon Lalong, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase, members of the APC National Working Committee, Ministers including Youth and Sports, Chief Sunday Akin Dare, and Labour & Employment (State), Festus Keyamo SAN and former governor of Edo State and Edo North APC Senatorial Candidate, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
In a fiery campaign speech Tinubu said: “Delta is among Nigeria’s largest oil and gas producing states. Revenue from oil and gas has historically been the backbone of government revenue and foreign exchange earnings.
“As such your state and other oil producers have made a one-of-a-kind financial contribution to the building of modern Nigeria. The nation is thankful to you.
“Delta has all it takes to be great and help lead the nation forward. Yet, for the past twenty-three years, those governing your state have taken you for a hard and long ride by selling you short. They have not done the things they should have and could have done for you.
“The infrastructure in the state was better 30 years ago than it is now. The state has recorded historic debts run up by the incumbent yet the infrastructure and other things still remain lacking because of under investment and neglect.
Slamming Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Tinubu continued:“The money is much but it does not have legs. Where did it go? Not to your welfare. “Perhaps, it has found a home with a certain presidential candidate who loves Dubai more than Nigeria. But Delta State is not an ATM for migratory politicians. It is a place where good and hardworking people reside and work to create decent and peaceful lives for themselves and their families.”
Tinubu, however promised to re-activate the gas revolution industrial park while also seeing to the cleaning of the whole Niger-Delta region to ensure that the host communities do not suffer for building the nation’s economy through their oil.
Speaking to supporters at the rally, APC Governorship candidate in the state, Senator Omo-Agege, said the Governor of Delta had failed the state and should step down.
He said Delta under Okowa’s watch had become poverty and slum capital of the country and urged the people of the state to vote for Tinubu and all APC candidates in the 2023 general elections.
Omo-Agege described as an “ill-fated adventure”, the ambition of Okowa to be Nigeria’s Vice-President in May 2023, noting he has betrayed the South.
The Delta APC Governorship candidate said the two-term Delta State governor is a “replica of Judas Iscariot today” and “should step down immediately from the ticket of Atiku Abubakar”.
