‘TAN Is Working For The Victory Of Jonathan And Okowa In Delta’

Prince Ned Nwoko, Delta State Coordinator of the Transformation Ambassadors (TAN), told ODITA SUNDAY that the group’s said mandate in the state is to ensure the victories of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the governorship election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. 

WHAT brought the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, to your country home?

  The visit was a positive step on the part of Okowa. 

  First, the visit was to condole me on the death of my 22-year-old son, Tarik, who was studying law in London, on December 8, last year, which was the date of the party’s primary election in Asaba.

  Of course, I have argued that if the governor was backing any of the aspirants from Delta North, that gives us a brighter chance of realising our aspiration and as such, we should not join the other zones to oppose the governor, but support him to achieve our collective interest. 

This seems to be your first meeting since both of you contested the Delta North senatorial election in 2011?

  We have met in the court premises and the atmosphere was not cordial. This actually is his first visit to my country home. There has been a kind of reconciliation and alignment of interests since he is the governorship candidate in Delta State and from Anioma area and as a member of PDP, I should be supporting him with the platform of TAN.

  The visit provided us the opportunity to think of how TAN and his campaign organisation could work to ensure massive support for him and President Goodluck Jonathan.

What is the role of TAN in the elections and Okowa’s campaign?

  We have launched the Delta State chapter of TAN and appointed coordinators in various local government areas, who are mobilising at ward levels. 

  We had some initial challenges, but all these are receiving attention. The national coordinator has come to Delta to inaugurate the state chapter.

  We have followed Okowa’s campaign since the flag-off at Oghara, where the turnout of party supporters and even members of the opposition parties, who were curious to know what was happening, was massive. 

  The same have been was repeated across the state.

What is the key emphasis of TAN’s contribution in all these?

  First, we are highlighting what the Jonathan administration has done in education, power, agriculture, transport, road construction, auto industry, etc. 

  We are also highlighting the inconsistencies in the campaigns of the opposition.

  On the part of Okowa, we are presenting his pan-Delta vision of a united and prosperous Delta State.

  Okowa is a unifying candidate, who has shunned ethnic divisions and outlined a five-point agenda, which is vital to the people of Delta, irrespective of the ethnic affiliations.   

  So, his experience and record of performance in public service are solid records required to move the state forward. 

  It is important that the other parties to eschew politics of exclusion and bitterness. He is the most acceptable of all the other candidates and he has promised prosperity for all Deltans.

Many had expected you to contest again this time. Why did you opt out?

  There were strong pressures on me to run for the governorship or the senatorial elections this year from PDP, APC and Labour Party (LP).

  Several groups printed posters and organised my political structure, but I considered it more challenging to work for the return of Jonathan and to see that an Anioma person emerge as the governor of Delta State. 

  These two objectives are paramount in my mind, rather than pursuing a personal political goal at this critical time. 

  And by the grace of God, we shall succeed.