Senator Abba Moro, who represents Benue South Senatorial District and currently serves as the Senate Minority Leader, has openly criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for selecting Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels TV program, Moro described the decision as a political mistake that may have cost the party the presidency.
He stated that the choice of Okowa, who at the time was the Governor of Delta State, did not bring any electoral advantage to the PDP. Moro pointed out that the PDP’s performance in Delta was weak despite Okowa’s influence, with the party securing only one senatorial seat in the state—a victory he attributed more to the candidate’s personal popularity than party strength.
According to Moro, the party could have stood a better chance of winning the election if a different candidate had been selected from the South. He expressed disappointment that key political figures, including Okowa and the current Governor of Delta, have now defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), suggesting their loyalty to the PDP was questionable even during the campaign.
He emphasized that Okowa’s inability to deliver his state and his current alignment with the APC show a lack of genuine commitment to the PDP’s cause. Moro questioned how someone who served as governor, senator, and vice presidential candidate failed to secure his region for the party, calling it a clear sign that Okowa was never fully invested in the campaign.
Reflecting on the outcome, Moro said the decision to pick Okowa lacked strategic thinking and should have been reconsidered. He implied that the party’s leadership failed to read the political mood accurately, which contributed to the PDP’s poor performance in the polls. Moro concluded by accepting the situation, saying the party is ready to move forward with the next political phase.
