Ifeanyi Okowa, former governor of Delta state, says ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, does not have the “moral right” to speak about his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
On Monday, Okowa, and Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta state, alongside some stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, formally defected to the APC.
The defection ceremony took place in Asaba, Delta state capital, after an earlier announcement last Wednesday.
Reacting to the wave of defections in PDP, Saraki said it “is shocking and unbecoming” for Okowa, who was the PDP vice-presidential candidate in 2023, to join the ruling APC.
But speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday, Okowa said he did not expect Saraki, who had previously left the PDP for APC, to speak about his defection.
The former governor said his move to join the APC was a joint decision taken by his “political family” in Delta state.
“I didn’t expect that somebody like Senator Bola Saraki would be able to speak concerning me because he had also moved to APC before and eventually, he returned (to PDP),” Okowa said.
“He had moved to and fro. I don’t think he has a moral right to speak about my defection at all. I don’t want to join issues with him.”
In 2014, Saraki left the PDP for the APC, and later returned to PDP in 2018.
‘I’M NOT SCARED OF EFCC PROBE’
During the interview, Okowa was asked to react to a comment insinuating that he joined the APC because he wants his “sins to be forgiven”.
Responding, the former Delta governor said he has no “sins” that should be “forgiven”.
He denied being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), adding that he was only invited.
“In the first instance, there are no sins to be forgiven because no sins were committed,” he said.
“I was not arrested by the EFCC. A communication was sent to me when I was not at my place; I was overseas at that time. When I returned, I reported to the EFCC and answered the query.
“As I communicated to the public the last time, I’m not afraid to be investigated. I had worked for people of Delta state. Majority of the people understand that I did work for them.
“Petitions can be written by anybody. Whatever the petitions, the right of investigation is that of the EFCC. There are no fears at all.” (The Cable)
