-By Albert OGRAKA:

The Delta state government has expressed its desire to collaborate with formidable political pressure groups that are desirous of utilizing their genuine strategies towards the successful re-election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the 2019 governorship election in the state.

The pledge was made by the Director of Protocol, Government House, Hon. Ifeanyi Eboigbe, when he received stakeholders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Delta Force (PDF) who paid him a courtesy visit on Friday, October 19, 2018 at the Unity Hall in Asaba.

Hon. Eboigbe, who was accompanied by the Senior Political Adviser to the Governor, Chief Festus Ochonogor; DG Association of Community Youths, Innocent Esewezie and the Senior Special Assistant on Peace and Conflict Resolution, Hon. Jaunty Okwudi, commended the PDF for the bold step to give their unalloyed support to the SMART Governor of Delta state, adding that despite the optimism of winning the forthcoming elections with landslide victory, the state government will not leave any stone unturned.

While promising to give PDF the needed support because of their unity of purpose, Hon. Eboigbe appealed to the stakeholders and members to sustain their faith in Governor Okowa by intensifying their grassroots mobilization efforts, considering the PDF’s strength and strongholds in the various units, wards and local government areas across the state.

The frontline political pressure group of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta state, led by the state co-ordinator, Mr. Bassey Asiekwu, assured Governor Okowa that the PDP Delta Force (PDF) has already commenced the massive mobilization of youths in support of the re-election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for a second term in office.

An address presented on behalf of the PDF by the Secretary, Mr. Ndubuisi Biosah disclosed that “PDF is a political pressure group made up of men and women who believe that governor Okowa has done enough to deserve a second term come 2019.There is no gainsaying the fact that since the emergence of His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa in 2015, the state has been witnessing rapid development in all spheres,ranging from human capital development to infrastructural development.

“In Delta State’s 27 years existence, we have never seen massive road construction like we have seen in this administration. The Asaba Airport now has about three carriers in operation as against it’s near abandonment in the past. It is on record that workers receive their salaries as at when due, a fit many states cant match. We know about all the efforts your good office has been making in other to make this government function at optimum level, particularly your concern about the youths.

“We don’t just vote and walk away, we defend our votes, for therein lies our paramilitary strength. Governor Okowa is a man who believes in the youths, and this he has shown variously in his youth empowerment programmes, Job creation and operations of youth bodies that were hitherto non existent. The PDF which is a youth body has taken serious cognisance of this and has decided to put our strength where our mind is. We have coverage in all communities and Local governments in the state and our foot soldiers have been mandated to start massive mobilization for governor Okowa. We have been hearing from those who speak with both sides of the mouth about the federal might the opposition wants to bring to bear. We want to sound a note of warning that Delta state is 100% PDP and an opposition that has done nothing for the welfare of Deltans cannot threaten the will of Deltans with a so-called federal might. We have instructed our foot soldiers to stay solid and fight to defend Ekwueme’s votes in all local governments come 2019.”