Dissatisfied Nigerian youths have yelled at the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for representing the presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar at a Town Hall Meeting series organized for candidates running for the presidency come 2023.
Okowa, who many Southerners described as a “betrayal”, is the Vice Presidential candidate of PDP, was at the event to stand in for the Dubai-based PDP presidential candidate.
Miffed with the absence of the former Vice President, the angry youths, said Okowa was illegible to speak at the event, as it was organized for presidential candidates.
The event was put together by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in collaboration with Arise Television.
The appearance of Okowa, triggered vexation, as some guests protested that only presidential standard bearers should be allowed to address guests.
They booed the Delta governor while yelling at the top of their lungs, “We want only presidential candidates here.
“No way, Okowa, must go”, while a female voice echoed: “Okowa must come down”.
It was gathered that Okowa, fought without result to calm the agitated youths while saying, “The presidential ticket is one,” but the irate youth yelled, “No!”, “No way”.
Later, though, things returned to normalcy, and the program started late.
While Atiku asked his running mate Okowa, to represent him, Tinubu was not represented at the event
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was absent.
The only presidential candidates present in the town hall were the presidential candidates of Labour Party, Peter Obi, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Kola Abiola of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Atiku and Tinubu have already skipped out on gatherings intended for presidential hopefuls.
Shettima acted as Tinubu’s replacement at the NBA Annual General Conference in August at the Eko Hotels in Victoria Island, Lagos State.
Shettimma had represented Tinubu at the National Peace Accord in September.
Shettimma spoke on behalf of Tinubu at a Women Radio 91.7 gathering for prominent presidential contenders in October at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja.
Atiku skipped the Women Radio event as well.
It would be recall that youths in Warri, equally expressed disenchantment with the governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Sheriff Oborevwori, when they booed him for saying that “Delta State is a PDP State”, at the Catholic Diocese of Warri.
