Delta state Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has urged the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to stop his campaigns of calumny against him but discuss developmental issues that will uplift Nigeria and not discussing individuals in the build-up to 2023 general elections.
The governor took exception from Tinubu’s reported outburst that his running mate, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, was better than the man (Okowa) chosen by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Okowa, who reacted through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Olisa Ifeajika, said Tinubu was myopic in his derogatory evaluation of his principal.
He said the choice of Okowa was far better if Nigeria must be rescued from the grip of insecurity and economic quagmire.
He said instead of Tinubu to leave judgement of the contestants in the court of the voters, he resulted to blackmail and attacks to influence the electorates.
He said no amount of derogatory remarks would tarnish the soaring political profile, contributions to nation building and exceptional performance of Governor Okowa in the last seven years.
The CPS said Okowa had respected Tinubu for decades wondered why he attempted to diminish the Governor’s political pedigree, and urged him and his failed APC-led Federal government to fulfil their electioneering promises to Nigerians before permutaing for re-election in 2023.
He said: “We are asking Tinubu to face his contest. He has a joint ticket with whom he has chosen as his running mate just as Atiku has done. So, he should be preoccupied with how to go to the contest and leave the campaign of calumny.