Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro has stirred fresh political debate by declaring that Ifeanyi Okowa, the former Delta State Governor, played a major role in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s loss in the 2023 presidential election. Moro specifically criticised Okowa’s inability to secure Delta State for the party during the election, asserting that the PDP might have performed better with a different vice-presidential candidate from the South.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV, Senator Moro responded to Okowa’s recent statement on Arise TV, where the ex-governor expressed regret for accepting the vice-presidential slot under Atiku Abubakar. The backlash came shortly after Okowa, alongside current Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the PDP structure in the state, defected to the APC.
Moro, unimpressed by Okowa’s regret, labelled the remarks “uncharitable and self-serving.” According to him, Okowa lobbied for the position and should now own up to its political consequences.
“He was not forced. He asked for it, and he was given,” Moro stated.
The Senate Minority Leader stressed that Okowa’s failure to deliver his home state—despite being a former senator, two-term governor, and running mate—was a strategic misstep.
“The PDP might have had a better shot at victory if another candidate from the South had been chosen,” he said.
Moro went further, pointing out that the opposition parties gained more ground in Delta State during the election, with two of the state’s three senators now coming from opposition parties.
“How can a sitting governor and vice-presidential candidate not secure his own state for his party? That’s telling,” he queried.
He also accused Okowa of betraying the PDP, a party that shaped his entire political career—from senator to governor, and ultimately, vice-presidential candidate.
“You don’t eat from a plate and turn around to break it,” Moro remarked.
Despite the recent wave of defections and internal challenges within the PDP, Moro insisted the party is far from collapse. He expressed hope for a political turnaround by 2027, saying the PDP remains a strong political brand with deep-rooted national support.
“Just 72 hours ago, PDP state chairmen met and reaffirmed their commitment to rebuilding the party,” he said.
Moro added that the party still has committed members and structures in place to restore its strength.
“If the rebuilding succeeds by 2027, so be it. If not, the PDP still remains a national political brand that won’t break easily.”
The 2023 general election saw APC’s Bola Tinubu emerge president, with Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi trailing. The PDP has since been grappling with internal fractures and leadership challenges, especially in key states like Delta.
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