From: WOLE BALOGUN

As the race for the 2019 presidential election begins begins, a Niger Delta activist and member of the 2015 PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Prince Afoke Okporua, on Thursday, said that Alhaji Sule Lamido, remains the man to beat at he poll.

He insisted that people of the Niger Delta have no other candidate but Lamido.

Okporua who spoke with journalists shortly after a meeting with top Niger Deltans of the Lagos community yesterday in a release said: “I make bold to say that the former Governor of Jigawa State, His Excellency, Alh. Dr. Sule Lamido (CON) is the man to beat in  the region. As I speak with you, the leader of  the Talakawas is a household name both in the hinterland and creeks of the Niger-Delta region. It is almost too late for any other aspirant including the incumbent President to enjoy the love accorded to Lamido in the region.

Declaring that no amount of intimidation from the government of the day can stop Lamido, he said: “If they like let them come with billions of naira, let the ruling party over stretch their incumbency might, they can’t succeed over Sule Lamido because the structures and barricades have been erected in his favour as far as the 9 Niger-Delta States is concerned.

“We had to do this because it is evident no other aspirant loves the region like Lamido does, he frequents the region to encourage our Governors and ensure peace reigns, in 2015 he didn’t decamp despite been among the G7, in 2011 his house and company were burnt down in Kano State because of his staunch support for Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and as far as Nigeria is concern at the moment, he is the only one speaking truth to power. Apart from Lamido, which other aspirant challenges PMB?

“There is no other aspirant that parades the political clout and democratic credentials of Alh. Sule Lamido, as at 1979 he was a Federal Law Maker, in 1999, he became a Minister of Foreign Affairs under OBJ and then Governor of Jigawa State for two solid terms leaving behind monumental achievements.

The way Nigeria is now, we need a unifying factor, a bridge builder, a renowned patriot and one with a handshake across the Niger and Sule Lamido is that man,”  he said.