By Jesuovie Tekevwe/UDU
Deputy National President of the youth wing of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Olorogun Vincent Ogheneruemu Oyibode has charged Delta State youths to vote for Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori in Saturday gubernatorial election, stressing that he was the only candidate with the interest of the youths at heart and that the older generation politicians were out to scuttle the process in order to wrestle power from the youths.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday ahead of the gubernatorial polls, Chief Vincent Oyibode noted that the old war horses were fighting Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for daring to support a youth-oriented candidate in the person of Sheriff Oborevwori and that the youths must rise to the occasion to defend their future by voting for a man who would work for them and check the old men in the system for the youths to thrive.
“Few days to the 2023 gubernatorial election across Nigeria, we have deemed it necessary to address the youths of the Niger Delta area on the need to understand the undercurrent tendencies of the old brigade of political personalities striving seriously to take over power once again from the youths particularly here in Delta State. The defection of some elements within the PDP to the opposition APC in recent times have opened our eyes to the grand plot by these elements to seize power at all cost and appropriate same for their selfish purposes.
‘’The sudden display of hatred for and overt antagonism against His Excellency, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori for no just course have confirmed our fears that those elements who played themselves out of relevance over the years have suddenly found reason to regroup against the younger generation of leaders whom Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa have been raising since he came to power. The battle that is raging in the state has nothing to do with morality, non-performance or any fault of the incumbent or incoming governors. The grievances of the older class of leaders who had been in power since 1999 is that Okowa has discovered new leaders and is ready to groom more of the younger generation to build on his legacy of prosperity for Deltans particularly the youths.
‘’Our youths should understand that while some of the older politicians were not in government recently, they enjoyed the major contracts or recommend their family members for appointments. Okowa decided to change the narrative to bring in more youths hence he supported Rt Hion Sheriff Oborevwori who shared the same view with him on serious attention on the youths. Today, the older generation of politicians are regrouping to fight back and the youths should know the reason for the sudden resentment and escalating opposition to Sheriff within the party from these 1999 set of politicians. The youths should rise up to rally round and deliver Ty Hon Sheriff Oborevwori on Saturday March 18 so as to form a government to be driven by the youths.
‘’If Hon Chief Ejaife Odebala can leave PDP after he joined Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to commission projects 3 days ago, it is a pointer to the grand plot by these 1999 to 2015 set of politicians to unleash havoc on Saturday. Those still hanging on should be watched closely. This is a battle against the youths and they must see it as such. They don’t want the youths to grow politically so as to retain themselves perpetually in the system. Ask them what crime Sheriff Oborevwori has committed, they will not see anything to point at. They hate him for being close to the youths. Let Delta youths be wise to take their destiny in their hands. The coming government belongs to the youths and they must stand to defend and vote for the PDP so that they can take their place without being bossed around. Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori is the project of Delta youths and God Almighty. This project cannot be abandoned!
‘’The political scavengers, the goliaths and leviathans who are hurt that Sheriff Oborevwori is coming to build Delta youths are now fighting with unmitigated bestiality. Their fear now is that, Sheriff Oborevwori, the PDP candidate is too close to the youths. They are fighting Okowa today because of me and you. It would be great disservice for the youths to fall for the antics of these men who operate the APC ideology which gave President Buhari the audacity to exhume old friends in their late 70s and 80s to run his administration to the pains and doom of the Nigerian economy. These old men are moving into the APC to seek for relevance to the detriment of Delta youths. We must fight back to take this message to all nooks and crannies of the state so PDP could win on Saturday for the retired elements to enjoy their retirement at home while the youths take their place in government.
‘’It might interest our youths to note that most of these political actors were in power in 1999 while they were in their 30s, 40s and 50s. At 70 and more, they will not allow the youths of today to grow. They still want to dictate everything, hold the juicy positions while the underprivileged children continue to serve them and their spoilt kids. The question is when will it ever be our turn? Must we attain the age of 70 before we try our hands in governance? While young men in their 30s and 40s are being elected to Houses of Assembly, national Assembly and even as governors in other states, they want us to perpetually remain under their grip so we could continue to feed on crumbs from under their table. This trend is what Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori is determined to break to bring in young men and women in the coming dispensation. These grey haired political leaders are scared that of the loss of grip on the system. The youths cannot afford to disappoint Governor Okowa at this moment.
‘’It is therefore our candid to all Delta youths to join the moving trail of the PDP to ensure Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori is voted on Saturday. There are many old and spent forces that are pretending to be for us, we must work hard to check them. Those within the party who are PDP in the day and APC at night should be identified and won over or dropped along the way. We cannot afford to go into this battle with scorpions and pythons in our bags.
“Those green snakes in green grasses should be ignored and shamed at the end of the day. We should work hard to deliver all PDP candidates on Saturday.
‘’A new generation of leaders is being groomed to take over the system. Our youths should join this team now and work out their place in the coming dispensation. The future belongs to those who are prepared for it. Okowa gave the youths a chance in his administration and this legacy is what he is passing on to Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
“The story of passing through one leader or the other in the local government areas have been dispensed with for free access to government. The gang up is not about Okowa or sheriff it is all about the youths. Delta Youths, be wise. Vote for Sheriff Oborevwori on Saturday. Vote for PDP for a brighter future for our youths and ordinary people.
“Saturday is here and we must take our destiny in our hands to deliver and be part of history. This is the turn of the youths. Arise and take your place! Vote PDP all the way!’’, Oyibode declared.
