Senator Abba Moro, who represents Benue South in the National Assembly, has blamed the choice of Ifeanyi Okowa as vice-presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) loss in the 2023 presidential election.
Okowa, the former Governor of Delta State, who recently defected from PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC), was the running mate of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the election won by President Bola Tinubu.
In an appearance on Arise News on Tuesday, Okowa also revealed that Atiku is preparing to leave the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
Moro, speaking during an interview on Channels Television Politics Today described the selection of Okowa as a ‘serious mistake’ that contributed to the party’s electoral failure.
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“Given what we know now, with the benefit of hindsight, some of us believe the PDP would have won the election had a different vice-presidential candidate from the South been selected,” he said.
Moro criticised Okowa’s failure to deliver his home state of Delta to the PDP, questioning his commitment to the party during the election.
He noted that two out of the three senators from Delta were elected on platforms other than the PDP, despite Okowa being both a sitting governor and former senator at the time.
“How else would you describe a situation where a sitting governor and vice-presidential candidate couldn’t deliver his state to his own party’s presidential candidate?” he asked.
The senator also took issue with Okowa’s recent public expression of regret over his role in the PDP campaign.
According to Moro, such a remark underscores the lack of genuine commitment by the former governor.
READ ALSO: Okowa claims Atiku preparing to exit PDP ahead of 2027 elections
“His soul was not in the PDP. His soul was not in that election. That is why we performed very miserably in Delta State,” he said.
Reacting to the broader implications for the PDP, Moro admitted that former vice president and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, remains a key figure in the party.
He warned that Atiku’s exit, should it occur, would leave a noticeable void.
“Atiku has a significant place in PDP’s history – as a founding member and a two-time presidential candidate. If he leaves, it will certainly create a vacuum,” Moro said.
