PROFILE: Ifeanyi Okowa, the restructuring advocate who is Atiku’s running mate

The political journey of Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state, has been one of gentle ascension from the grassroots to the top of the echelon.

On Thursday, he hitched another rung on the political ladder when Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced him as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.

A political career that began from the lowly position of secretary of Ika LGA in Delta may be on the rise to Aso Rock, if the PDP wins the presidential election.

TheCable profiles the medical doctor whose experience as a politician dwarfs his practice of medicine.

FROM OWA-ALERO VILLAGE TO MBBS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

Okowa was born to Arthur, Okpara-Uku of Owa-Alero, and Victoria, his mother, on July 8, 1959.

He began his education at Iroro Primary School, Owa-Alero, before proceeding to Edo College, Benin between 1970 and 1976.

He was then admitted to study medicine and surgery (MBBS) at the University of Ibadan (UI), graduating in 1981 at 22 years.

A few years later, Okowa went into private medical practice with the establishment of Victory Medical Centre at Boji-Boji, Owa.

HIS POLITICAL JOURNEY FROM GRASSROOTS TO THE TOP

Okowa launched into politics when he became the secretary of Ika LGA. He was then elected the pioneer chairman of the newly-created Ika north-east local government council from 1991 to 1993 before the country was seized again by the military.

Upon the return of Nigeria to democracy in the late 90s, Okowa joined the newly-founded PDP in 1998.

He became an associate of James Ibori and aided him in his bid to become Delta state’s second democratically-elected governor.

With success at the poll, he held several roles in the Ibori administration throughout its eight-year tenure. He first served as the commissioner for agriculture and natural resources between July 1999 and April 2001. He was appointed commissioner for water resources development from April 2001 to May 2003. Okowa was then given a position to allow his medical degree to shine between September 2003 and October 2006, when he was the health commissioner.

In the new administration headed by Emmanuel Uduaghan, Okowa was appointed secretary to the Delta state government.

In 2011, he was elected the lawmaker representing Delta north senatorial district.

Okowa left the senate after one term and became the governor of Delta state in 2015.

ADVOCATE OF RESTRUCTURING

In May 2021, Okowa hosted 16 other southern governors in Asaba, Delta capital, to discuss the state of the nation.

Following the meeting, the governors called on President Muhammadu Buhari to be fairer in political appointments, convene a national confab, embrace the calls for restructuring and establishment of state police.

The stance of the southern governors provoked responses from some northern leaders who insisted they restructure their respective states first.

Replying to the rebuttal, Okowa said the governors’ resolutions are answers to the demands of the people, insisting that restructuring is the best way to ensure Nigeria’s unity.

“We thank all our brothers in the south for coming together to speak for our people. The things that we’ve said are not new. It’s just the voice of our people that we have continued to echo,” the governor had said.

“But unfortunately I read in the papers that somebody says we ought not to talk about certain things, being elected people. If the voice of your people has been heard madly, and they’ve continued to talk and you are an elected person and you shy away from giving further voice to their voices, then you ought not be in the position that you occupy.

“We reaffirmed that as a people, as elected Governors, we believe in the unity of our country. But we also went forth to advance the need for certain things to be done in order to give strength to that unity. That cannot be a reason for us to be vilified, obviously not.

“We reaffirmed that as a people, as elected Governors, we believe in the unity of our country. But we also went forth to advance the need for certain things to be done in order to give strength to that unity. That cannot be a reason for us to be vilified, obviously not.

“We talked about restructuring, which has been on the table for so long. Both the voices of the PDP and the APC itself have endorsed restructuring. And restructuring is all-inclusive and all-encompassing. We may have different views, different approaches to the restructuring, but when we sit on the table in dialogue, we will be able to agree best what is good for Nigeria and what is good for the component parts of Nigeria.”

CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

According to a report from International Centres for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Okowa was accused of selling Delta Line, a wholly state-owned transport company, to Chidi Ajaere, the owner of God is Good Transport Development Company Limited (GTDC), despite a superior bid from Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

ICIR alleged that the “shady sale” of Delta Line to GTDC was to compensate Ajaere for supporting the governor during his 2015 campaign.

The report read: “The sale left Delta State with the minority stake of 40 percent and God is Good Motors Limited, 60 percent. Since its establishment almost 40 years ago, Delta Line has undergone multiple phases, including its rebranding in 1991, to improve mobility services to commuters across Nigeria, but none compares to Okowa’s audacious sale.

“Investigations revealed that despite having a massive goodwill and reputation built over the years, with about 38 terminals across the country and well over 1,200 units of modern buses, Delta Line was sold for N160 million to GIGM as against the N2 billion offered by Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Delta State council, a body under Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).”

GTDC, however, responded to the allegation and denied that Ajaere had any “special relationship” with Okowa, adding that the company was the most qualified bidder for the Delta Line.

In another two-part publication in 2021, ICIR reported irregular expenditures and evidence of financial misappropriation in the Delta state auditor-general’s annual report for 2019.

The report alleged ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in connivance with the state house of assembly were implicated in financial irregularities.