••• As Governor Visits Obasanjo In Abeokuta
By Mariam Adekunle, Abeokuta
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Tuesday disclosed that he has not made up his mind yet whether to join or not join the 2023 Presidential race.
The Daily Crucible recalls that some Presidential aspirants, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim; and former Governor of Anambra, Peter Obi - all on the platform of PDP had each declared ambition for 2023 Presidential race.
But Okowa whose second term of four years tenure as governor of the oil bearing Delta State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ends in May 2023, said that finding solution to the nation's myriad of problems was more important to him than declaring ambition for the 2023 presidential seat.
The governor spoke after a private meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the elder stateman's Penthouse within Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He noted that Obasanjo and other critical stakeholders, including the country's traditional rulers, were needed at this period of the nation's history to end the wave of insecurity and economic woes bufetting the country.
Okowa said: "As at today, I have not made up my mind. The important thing is not about myself, is about the nation, Nigeria. The future of hope. What level of consensus can we build in order to achieve our dream. Our dream is to see Nigeria begin to have an improvement in our security and in the level of economy. These are somethings we have not achieved at the moment.
"The country is so stressed, so much stress in the land. So much unemployment, so much inflation and unfortunately the things that unite us are badly threatened and we cannot even be sure of tomorrow. These are the things we must discuss. We must all come together to stop this tide of drift at the moment, that is the type of things we should be more concerned about.
"As someone who truly understands Nigeria through and through and we bless God for having somebody like him. We need to tap from him, especially at a time like this which will help to shape this nation. And I thanked God for the wonderful discussions that I had with him.
"I came to share ideas with Obasanjo, in addition to the situation in Nigeria. He was ready to give fatherly advise. I also discuss with him some issue concerning my state and he willingly advise me too. He is a respository of knowledge and experience."
The Governor expressed grave concern that the security challenges facing the country have the potentials to destroy the nation's economy, stressing that all hands must be on deck to end the precarious situation.
"The troubling situation has the capacity to destroy our economy, which is not in our best interest. It is time the country have to come together, all well-meaning people, all stakeholders must come together to think Nigeria first. We need the collective effort of all at this period.
"This is something that is threatening the fabric of our unity and not something we have to play with. The situation is getting worrisome and it's time we all have hands on deck to be able to find solution.
"As it stands today, the APC run government cannot alone be able to deal with it and they need to find wide and a far-reaching consultation, not with those in government alone, but, all stakeholders, particularly those who have been part of running this country before and now, including even religious leaders we need to sit together and discuss the way forward."
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