VP Atiku: You’re A Traitor To Middle belt, Southern – SMBLF Leaders Blast’s Okowa

The elder statesmen from four of the six geo- political zones of the country, under the aegis of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF led by South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark

Have lampooned the Governor of Delta State and the Vice Presidential Flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2023 Presidential election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, saying he’s a traitor to the Southern.

The Leaders in a statement on Friday said that the action of the Delta State Governor is a treason of the loftiest order and must be condemned in all its ramifications by the people of the South and Middle Belt made up of South West; South South; South East and the Middle Belt.

According to the Leaders, Okowa’s acceptance to be the handling mate to the Presidential flagbearer of the PDP and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is unfaithful and tantamount to a despicable pledging of the political future of the people of Southern Nigeria

Just as they rejected him in summation as they’ve pledged that the Southern part of the country won’t bounce Atiku Abubakar/ Ifeanyi Okowa’s ticket come 2023 Presidential election.

The leaders of the South South, Afenifere, Middle- Belt, Ndi- Igbo( Ohaneaze, Pan Niger Delta said that it came veritably imperative for them to call for the jettisoning of Okowa from Delta State, South South geo- Political zone of the country

As a Vice Presidential flagbearer because of their patient position that the Southern part of the country should produce the coming President after the contestant, President Muhammadu Buhari and not for the zone to go for the position of Vice President.

You we recalls that the SMBLF under the leadership of former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has been on top of its voice, calling on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the APC to insure that their Presidential campaigners are picked from the south

But unfortunately, the PDP left the contest opened and at the end of the day, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from Adamawa State, North East won as the PDP Presidential flagbearer for the 2023 Presidential election

Just as the ruling All Revolutionaries Congress, APC at its lately concluded Special Convention, tagged former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Tinubu as its Presidential candidate for coming time’s election.

The statement was inked by Chief Edwin Clark as the Chairman of SMBLF and National Leader of PANDEF; Chief Ayo Adebanjo for Afenifere as the leader; Professor George Obiozor for Ohanaeze Ndigbo as the President- General andDr. Pogu Bitrus for Middle Belt Forum as the National President.

The statement read The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum( SMBLF) has berated the Governor of Delta State, SenatorDr. Ifeanyi Okowa for accepting his nomination as Vice Presidential flagbearer to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party( PDP) in the forthcoming 2023 general choices.

It’s inenarrable and relatively disappointing that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who’s presently Chairman of the South- South Governors ’ Forum, and a native of Owa- Alero in Ika North- East Local Government Area( one of the Igbo- speaking areas) of Delta State, would parade similar barefaced unreliability.

It bears recalling that the 17 Governors of the Southern States of Nigeria, both of the People’s Democratic Party( PDP) and the All Revolutionaries Congress( APC), under the Chairmanship of the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, met in Asaba, the capital of Delta State on May 11, 2021

Took far- reaching opinions, including that, grounded on the principles of fairness, equity and justice, the administration should rotate to the south, at the end of the statutory eight times of President Muhammadu Buhari’s term. And this veritably Governor Okowa was the host of that major meeting.

The Southern Governors latterly met again in Lagos, on July 5, where they reaffirmed their decision, and again in Enugu, on September 16, to translate the call that the administration should rotate to the south in 2023.

It’s essential to accentuate that the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders ’ Forum( SMBLF), saluted the meeting of the governors, given its significant representation and the graveness of the outgrowth

We followed up and issued a analogous statement after our meeting in Abuja on the 30th of May 2021, asking that the administration should rotate to the south.

And went further, on several other occasions, to advise political stakeholders from the South, including serving and former governors, ministers, legislators, etcetera, not to, on any account, allow themselves to be appointed or nominated as running mate to any presidential candidate, if the administration isn’t zoned to the south and that we will work against similar person or persons.

It is, thus, utmost unfortunate that the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa who should know more, accepted his appointment as running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

We don’t have anything particular against Ifeanyi Okowo but his action is unfaithful and tantamount to a despicable pledging of the political future of the people of Southern Nigeria.

sorely, it’s also now common knowledge that he spent coffers belonging to the government and people of Delta state, to lobby for the position, considerably.

And that explains why he noway made any statement when his party, the People’s Democratic Party( PDP), thoughtlessly jettisoned the zoning principle, which has come established as a norm and an natural part of the political line.

It’s delicate to sound how a political party can claim to be on a supposed deliverance charge with similar false footings of unfairness, injustice, duplicity and gross insensitivity to public outlook.

It’s tragic that while utmost of Governor Okowa’s southern and northern counterparts have maintained gallant, nationalistic compliance to the concinnity and peace of the country above blinkered political considerations,

By their bent station on the gyration of the administration to the south in 2023, Governor Ifeanyi Okiwa, the Chairman of the South- South Governors ’ Forum, of all people, would gullibly and hardly capitulated to the bonbon of asininity.

Therefore, consenting to a situation whereby, one person rules for eight times and hands over to another of his stock, in a country of at least 360 ethnical groups. What a shame!

The people of southern Nigeria chimed at Asaba, Lagos, Enugu, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Umuahia, and Abuja, continuously on the zoning of the administration and that another northern administration after the eight times of President Muhammadu Buhari would be pernicious to the concinnity and peace of the country.

READ ALSO: We’re Ready To Work With Atiku To Rescue Nigerian, Okowa Say After Accepts Atiku’s VP

2023: Why I Picked Gov Okowa As My Running Mate – Atiku

Governor Okowa has, by his action, betrayed the trust reposed on him by his associates; the southern governors, the entire good people of southern Nigeria and each well- meaning Nigerians.

He has made himself persona non grata, not only, with SMBLF but all citizens who treasure our oneness and expedients of a more united and peaceful Nigeria.

We, thus, reject Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his Vice Presidency, and leave him to his lot, but let the world know that this is a treason of the loftiest order.

Please kindly share this story