Former Delta State Governor and 2023 vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has explained his decision to abandon former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and throw his political weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Okowa, who is now the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Delta North, declared that he had “seen the light,” insisting that President Tinubu’s economic reforms and leadership approach convinced him to join the ruling party.
The former governor made the disclosure on Saturday while addressing party supporters at the APC presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to him, although he contested the 2023 presidential election alongside Atiku on the PDP platform, developments under the Tinubu administration have persuaded him that the President is taking bold steps to rebuild Nigeria’s economy.
“You all know that in 2023 I was on another ticket, but I have seen the light, and I have seen what Mr President is doing for Nigeria,” Okowa declared.
“It is the right thing to be done, and I have long ago crossed to the APC to join hands with Mr President because he is truly building a new Nigeria.”
The former Delta governor argued that Nigeria’s economic challenges were inherited from successive administrations, stressing that Tinubu’s policies were designed to correct longstanding structural problems.
“When the foundation is broken, you cannot do anything. Mr President realises that successive administrations have broken the foundations of Nigeria. And today, we are on the right course because that foundation is being put right,” he stated.
Tinubu’s Economic Reforms Changing Nigeria — Okowa
Defending the administration’s economic policies, Okowa maintained that the reforms had significantly improved revenue allocations to state and local governments, enabling them to meet financial obligations and undertake development projects.
He claimed that the increased availability of funds had strengthened the capacity of subnational governments to pay workers’ salaries, settle pension obligations and execute infrastructure projects.
“Today, our states and local governments are doing so well because Mr President has continued to mobilise resources for various states and our local governments,” he said.
“We no longer talk about people owing salaries; we no longer talk about people owing pensioners. Our local governments are doing projects, our states are doing projects, and we can pay salaries.”
Okowa further praised Tinubu’s economic management credentials, drawing parallels between his achievements as Lagos State governor and his current administration at the federal level.
“Only a man who understands a nation’s economy can do this. The wonders that were done in Lagos are already being done in our country, Nigeria,” he added.
How Atiku–Okowa Presidential Ticket Divided PDP
Okowa’s latest declaration comes against the backdrop of the political crisis that engulfed the PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections.
In 2022, Atiku selected Okowa as his running mate, overlooking former Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who had enjoyed the backing of influential stakeholders within the opposition party.
The decision triggered internal disagreements and deepened divisions within the PDP, with some party leaders openly opposing Atiku’s presidential ambition.
Atiku and Okowa eventually lost the February 2023 presidential election to Tinubu, who contested on the APC platform.
In April 2025, Okowa publicly expressed regret over his decision to accept the PDP vice-presidential nomination, arguing that the prevailing political sentiment at the time favoured the emergence of a southern president after the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He acknowledged that the PDP’s decision to field a northern presidential candidate contributed to the party’s electoral setbacks, including its defeat in Delta State during the presidential election.
With his latest endorsement of Tinubu, Okowa has further consolidated his political realignment with the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
His declaration also highlights the continuing movement of prominent opposition figures into the governing party as political activities intensify ahead of the next presidential election.