By Austin Ogwuda
Following the endorsement of the immediate past governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa by Agugu Anioma another group known as – Okolobie Anioma has kicked against the said endorsement.
The group made this position known on Wednesday in a press release signed by its Convener, Comrade Ike T. Keonye.
It reads:
“Okolobie Anioma, a principled and progressive socio-political movement committed to the protection of Anioma interests, hereby makes its position unequivocally clear: Anioma cannot, will not, and must not support the return of Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa to the Delta North Senatorial seat.
“Leadership is judged by records, not rhetoric. Representation is measured by impact, not proximity to power. History, in this case, is not ambiguous.
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has been to the Senate before. His tenure is a matter of public record, and that record speaks loudly through its silence. No bills. No landmark motions. No transformational infrastructural projects. No meaningful empowerments. No notable employments for Anioma people. In a chamber where voices shape destiny, Anioma was left unheard.
“In stark contrast stands the current Distinguished Senator representing Delta North, Senator Prince Ned Munir Nwoko, whose legislative performance has redefined purposeful representation. With over thirty bills, numerous motions, visible infrastructural interventions, consistent empowerment initiatives, and direct employment facilitation, Senator Ned Nwoko has elevated Anioma’s voice within the Nigerian Senate.
“Most significantly, Senator Prince Ned Nwoko is the champion of the Anioma State Creation project, arguably the single most consequential political, economic, and cultural project in Anioma history. This struggle is not for a town, not for a clan, not for a political circle, but for the liberation, identity, and future of Anioma people, Ndi Igbo, and Nigeria at large.
“It is therefore both ironic and insulting that the same Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, whose political camp has actively opposed and undermined Anioma State creation, would now seek the moral authority and electoral support of Anioma people for a return to the Senate. One cannot fight a people’s destiny and expect their loyalty.
“Anioma State creation is not negotiable, and it is not optional. Anyone who stands against it stands against Anioma. Furthermore, Senator Okowa served as Governor of Delta State for eight years. Anioma people remember clearly. Outside his immediate locality, Delta North saw no commensurate development reflective of his long stay in power. Anioma cannot afford political nostalgia where performance was absent and opportunities were squandered.
“The Senate is not a retirement shelter for recycled ambitions. It is not a platform for political entitlement. It is not a compensation package for yesterday’s power.
“Okolobie Anioma therefore publicly distances itself from any individual, group, or cabal attempting to market or manufacture a return of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to the Senate, whether by proxy, sponsored endorsements, or political theatre.
“We reaffirm, without reservation, our total, resolute, and unwavering support for Senator Prince Ned Munir Nwoko to return to the Senate in 2027, whether Anioma State is created before then or not.
“Representation must be earned, and Senator Ned Nwoko has earned the trust, confidence, and mandate of Anioma people through action.
“Okolobie Anioma is led by Comrade Ike T. Keonye, and our position reflects the collective will of a generation that refuses to mortgage Anioma’s future for recycled politics and empty legacies.
Anioma deserves builders, not blockers. Anioma deserves fighters, not fence-sitters. Anioma deserves the future, not the past.
Signed:
OKOLOBIE ANIOMA Leadership:
Comrade Ike T. Keonye
(Convener).
Recall that the Convener of Agugu Anioma, Hon. Louis Ogugua Ndukwe stated that the group endorsed Okowa for the Senate, come 2027, because his achievements speak for him.
According to him, “Senator Okowa is best suited, given his exemplary antecedents in the Senate and as Governor of Delta State.
“Agugu Anioma stands firmly on the side of performance, credibility and verifiable results. Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa has demonstrated uncommon leadership capacity, a deep sense of responsibility to the people, and a clear vision for sustainable development.
“His achievements speak for him. We will move from door to door, units to units, wards to wards, LGAs to LGAs, to ensure that a resounding victory is achieved”, said Ndukwe.
