From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, has said Deltans were comfortable returning the candidate of PDP, Sheriff Oborevwori, because of the antecedents of the party and its candidate over the years.
Aniagwu alleged the APC candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege, is a man of questionable character and integrity, hence he was rejected at the polls by Deltans.
Speaking on a live television programme, yesterday, Aniagwu said Omo-Agege in a desperate bid to become governor, engaged in malicious propaganda against Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the state government even when he was not on the same ballot with the governor.
According to him, the PDP has been winning fair and square in Delta and repeated the same feat because the party campaigned vigorously across the 270 wards in the state with visible projects that dots the nooks and crannies of the state.
“The PDP won largely on account of three major factors, including the performance of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to the street credibility of Oborevwori and his touch with the grassroots and then the desire of Deltans not to have Omo-Agege as the next governor of the state based on his antecedents,” he said.
Aniagwu said Deltans were not happy with the 2018 mace saga at the floor of the Senate, and thus, were not looking forward to having a governor who is associated with it.
On claims of violence in some parts of the state during the governorship election, the commissioner said the election was largely peaceful except the APC enclaves where they tried to forcefully have their way against the wishes of the people particularly in Orogun, Ughelli North and parts of Ethiope West.
“You will recall that INEC raised the alarm that staff sent to conduct elections in Orogun were allegedly held hostage for days by Omo-Agege.
“Beyond some of these skirmishes, the election in Delta passed the credibility test in terms of the fact that people were allowed to vote freely and so, what the APC are claiming tells a lot more on propaganda rather than the facts on ground,” he said.
Aniagwu said the governor-elect, Oborevwori being speaker of the state House of Assembly in the last six years was acquainted with the development trajectory of the state and would do everything within his powers to consolidate on Okowa’s projects and programmes for the people.