Delta North Traditional Rulers Forum has faulted the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum, SMBLF, led by Chief E K Clark over its attack on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for accepting to be Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Speaking to newsmen after an emergency meeting of the forum held at its Chairman’s Palace, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, weekend, its Vice Chairman and the Obi of Abavo, HRM Uche Irenuma, described the attack on Okowa by the SMBLF as malicious and calculated at smearing the governor’s image.
He said the decision of the SMBLF to declare Okowa personal non grata was uncalled for and unacceptable to majority of the people from the region.
The monarch who was flanked by the Secretary of the forum, HRM Daniel Ogbudo, the Obi of Atuma-Igan Kingdom, said the action and outburst of SMBLF, which is supposed to protect interest of its people, “depicts personal hatred against the person of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who holds elders, especially Chief E K Clark in high esteem.”
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The monarchs accused the Forum of acting the script of a paymaster, lamenting that the aims and objectives of the Southern and Middle Belt Leader’s Forum was not to cast aspersions on deserving and worthy sons and daughters of the region.
They stressed that Okowa’s acceptance of the Vice Presidential slot does not amount to betrayal of his people. Expressing confidence that Okowa would be a good ambassador of the region, they urged the Southern and Middle Belt Leader’s Forum to rescind its decision and embrace the Vice Presidential slot given to the South by the PDP. The monarchs congratulated Okowa on his nomination as the running mate to the PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
They thanked the party leadership and the presidential candidate for picking their son as the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, praying God to see them through the electioneering period.
