Youths, under the aegis of the Coalition of Delta North Youths, have urged the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, to jettison the call to run for the senatorial seat of the zone in 2027.

This came barely a week after some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the district, led by the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, visited the former Governor and appealed to him to take a shot at the seat again. Okowa represented the district in the Senate between 2011 and 2015 before becoming the Governor of the state.

The seat is currently being occupied by Prince Ned Nwoko. But the youth group kicked against his return and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop him until he answers to the petition of N1.3 trillion against him.

Also, they urged members of the Traditional Rulers’ Council in the zone to preoccupy themselves with the interest of their subjects and preservation of cultural heritages, instead of dabbling in the murky waters of politics in 2027.

The Coalition Leader, Barr Benjamin Ofor Atagana, supported by leaders from the nine Local Government Areas, making up Delta North, including the Vice President of the Movement for the Emancipation of Anioma Nation, Aghulor Okoh, the Coordinator of One Voice for Anioma Nation, Oskar Chukwuwike and Kingsley Kainebi, at Agbor, said the petition should not be trashed because the former Governor defected to APC. He said, “Dr Okowa should purge himself of the N1.3 trillion petition with EFCC.

Until then, he should not be allowed to stand for election in Nigeria. “2027 elections will amount to a charade and oligarchy, not democracy, if a man who is yet to answer to the accusation of N1.3 trillion participates in the exercise.”