As if to squelch rumours making the rounds that he victory Senator Ifeanyi Okowa during the December 8 governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, the State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has revealed that he, indeed, worked to make it possible.

Speaking on Monday while receiving members of the Delta Political Vanguard who paid him a solidarity visit at Government House, Asaba, Uduaghan disclosed that there were plans by certain individuals to disrupt the primaries and when that failed, there was an attempt to switch off the electricity during the counting of votes when it was obvious that Senator Okowa was leading. The Governor said that he had to ensure that the security operatives nipped all the plans in the bud, thus ensuring that Okowa won without controversy.

Uduaghan expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the gubernatorial primaries, saying that his greatest joy was the fact that none of the aspirants “as at today has said the process was not free and fair and PDP in Delta State is intact. We don’t have any faction, Dr. Okowa’s victory was applauded by all and I am happy that we waded through this process, peacefully, intact and no petition against the election.”

The Governor reiterated his commitment towards a peaceful transition process which, according to him, made him to sacrifice his Senatorial ambition in the interest of peace, stressing: “There is no position that is too much for us to sacrifice for security reasons. If one person dies you cannot bring him back but any position sacrificed can be regained.”

He urged PDP members in the state to put behind them the experience of the governorship primaries and start to work towards the victory of candidates of the party in the 2015 general elections. He also advised them to be magnanimous in victory by accommodating everybody.

Dr. Uduaghan charged members of the party not to be carried away by the euphoria associated with Okowa’s victory but to work hard to win the main election, which he described as “more challenging.”

“Getting the ticket is the easiest part, winning the main election is the more difficult part because of the complexity of Delta State where ethnicity is a major factor. I have experienced it and I have come out victorious, so, I know what I am talking about and by the grace of God, we shall be victorious in 2015,” the Governor said.

Continuing, he said: “The time of celebration is over, we have to extend our hands of fellowship to everybody, we must carry everybody along so that we can win the main election which includes the re-election of our President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on February 14 and the election of our candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and after that, we can celebrate.”

In his speech, President of Delta Political Vanguard, Hon. Michael Diden, said they were in Government House to pledge their loyalty to Governor Uduaghan’s administration and to thank him for the role he played during the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP which led to the emergence of Senator Okowa as the party’s flagbearer.

•Photo shows Uduaghan.

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