Obi, Utomi Out To Derail Nigeria’s Democracy – Okowa

Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has raised the alarm that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP) Mr Peter Obi, Prof. Pat Utomi and his co-voyagers are desperate to derail democracy in Nigeria.

This may not be unconnected with the claim by Labour Party that the Okowa led-administration did not approve campaign venue for their party in the state, whereas the state granted waivers to the party to use the popular Oshimili Arcade.

The commissioner for information in the state, Mr Charles Aniagwu, supported  by the chief press secretary, Mr Olise Ifeajika in Asaba yesterday said the governor, who is the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), not only accused Utomi of lying but fumed that he is abusing his hard earned character as a professor.

Aniagwu said instead for Utomi to use his professorial acumen to officially commend Governor Okowa and tell others state governors to emulate his kind of politics, he was gallivanting  round the country to derail Nigeria’s democracy by spreading falsehood.

Aniagwu, who doubles as the spokesperson for Atiku-Okowa Campaign Organisation, said despite that the agent of Labour Party breached protocol by applying late for the venue, Governor Okowa still deployed executive powers to approve the venue.

He said, “Labour Party campaign agent, one Jerry Ajufo, called on phone on Sunday to apply for the venue to be used on Monday. We used our democratic credential to declare the venue open with the Oshimili South Local Government council.

“Against the existing laws, we granted them waivers for levy, application letter and others. For Utomi, a whole professor to have gone on air to lie to Nigerians is an abuse of his character and academic profile.”

Ifeajika said, if Governor Okowa could permit the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to use the Warri Stadium to campaign without hindrance, “what is Labour Party? Utomi is alien in Delta politics. He does not know his ward. We thought it is APC that used to lie, surprisingly, Labour Party has joined the train. This was Utomi who lost his presidential bid by not knowing the venue for the primary election of APC in 2019, and lost all woefully.”