Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has emerged running mate to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Quest Times reports that Okowa’s nomination was announced and confirmed by Atiku himself on Thursday at an unveiling event of his running mate held in Abuja.
The Delta-born politician was picked above his Rivers counterpart, Nyesom Wike, who has been the foreman in the radar of the PDP heavyweights, and was speculated to be selected as the vice presidential candidate of the main opposition party.
Ifeanyi Okowa was born on July 8, 1959. He hails from Owa-Aliero in Ika North-East
He attended Iroro Primary School Owa Alero (1965-1969), and later enrolled at the prestigious Edo College, Benin City from where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate (1974) and Higher School Certificate (1976).
He later proceeded to the University of Ibadan, in Nigeria where he obtained an MBBS in Medicine.
He got elected as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2011 under the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to represent Delta North Senatorial District.
Okowa has previously served as Secretary to the Delta State Government and a Commissioner for Health.
The 62-year-old was honoured as Man of the Year 2017 by the Independent Newspaper at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. The award was presented by Alhaji Ismalis Isa Funtu.
As a sitting governor of Delta in 2020, Okowa established University of Delta in Agbor. He also set up University of Science and Technology in Uzoro and Dennis Osadebe University in Anwai, all in Delta.