Politics

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa has today welcomed the Vice President (VP) of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo to the State on the VP’s working visit to the troubled Niger Delta region, asking the people of the region to embrace peace and work in unity. In the midst of dwindling oil production in the country, and militancy in the region, the Presidency announced on Friday VP Yemi Osinbajo will be visiting a number of oil communities across some Niger Delta States starting today, with Delta State as his first port of call to engage in discourse aimed at bringing lasting peace to the region. Recently Okowa aide debunked claims that the governor is decamping to the All Progressives Congress (APC), but Governor Okowa has set aside party politics to give the VP of the APC a hearty welcome. Speaking at Gbaramatu Kingdom, Governor Okowa said, “Today is not about Dr. Okowa as governor; we have a special guest with us, VP Yemi Osinbajo”. “One very important thing that we have acknowledged here today is that Mr. VP’s visit is a visit that is a game changer… the visit is a confidence-building visit. “It is obvious that the visit is a visit of partnership. He has come to think along with us, and together by the special grace of God, we will get out of the challenges that we have at the moment. “It is very clear that if development is to come, and we have already said that we want development, we must provide the environment. “I am convinced that with the speeches I have heard this afternoon that our people, not only in Gbaramatu, but in the entire Ijaw nation, will provide the enabling environment,” said Okowa. Speaking further, the Governor said that he is convinced that there is a charge to both the Federal and the State governments, and the oil companies to develop and keep peace, and by the special grace of God he believes that is the reason the VP has visited the region. “I’m convinced, because I have been with him in several meetings, and I’m convinced that his presence here will definitely lead to a lot of development in the future,” he said. “I ask for your cooperation, I ask for peace, I ask for your partnership; because on behalf of the Federal Government and the State, I am sure that we are ready to partner with the people,” he added. Dr. Okowa said the VP is a man the people of the Niger Delta can trust stressing that there can be no better time in the region than now that peace and development is needed the most. “We need peace so that things will move,” Okowa said. As part of VP Osinbajo itineraries in the Niger Delta, he would also be visiting Bayelsa and Rivers States. At these visits, the Vice President will lead high-level delegations of the Federal Government that will interact with leaders and representatives of the oil-producing communities in continuation of ongoing outreach efforts of the Buhari administration towards a long lasting and permanent resolution of the Niger Delta crisis. According Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Buhari’s presidency is fully committed to having an effective dialogue and positive engagement that will end the crisis in the oil-producing areas.