THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, family in Delta State heaved a sigh of relief when the news of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s victory at the Court of Appeal filtered in from Abuja at about 2pm on December 24, 2015, a day before Christmas.
Gov. Okowa
Uncertainty had enveloped the Okowa family, his appointees and indeed all PDP members in the state when they heard that the Appeal Court, which had been sitting in Benin City, Edo State had relocated to Abuja to deliver its judgment on the petitions brought before it by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2015 polls in Delta, Chief Great Ogboru, and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor.
Ogboru and Emerhor had approached the appellate court to challenge the decision of the lower tribunal which upheld the victory of Okowa when it delivered judgment on their petitions on October 23.
Since Friday, December 18, when the news of the decision of the appellate court’s resolve to move the judgment to Abuja filtered in, prayer warriors and non- prayer warriors alike in the PDP family did not know sleep as they embarked on massive prayers for the victory of the governor at the Court of Appeal.
Every PDP home went on its kneels to God, asking Him to sustain Okowa’s declaration as the winner of the April 11 governorship election in Delta by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
For Okowa and his party, it was the second hurdle to cross to affirm the governor’s victory at the election. As a matter of fact, Okowa had been unsettled since his opponents went to the appellate court to challenge the judgment of the election petitions tribunal.
The governor, his family, political appointees, elected officers on the platform of the PDP, the party leadership and faithful, immediately after the verdict, converged at the Government House Chapel, Asaba to offer thanks to God.
Okowa, overwhelmed by joy, danced to the glory of God and was joined by his appointees and other top government functionaries.
The congregation sang praise and worship songs in appreciation of what many of them described as God’s Christmas gift for the Governor and the PDP family.
The governor, who beamed with smiles, was clad in white native attire as he sang during the service.
In his sermon, the Chaplain of the Government House Chapel, Venerable Charles Osemenam, said: “The door of prosperity has been opened in Delta. God’s name will always be glorified; the victory at the Court of Appeal was the victory of the faithfulness of God, our God cannot fail.”
Okowa, who spoke to newsmen moments after the thanksgiving service, said his victory was made possible by God through the prayers of Deltans who came out massively to vote for him in the April 2015 gubernatorial election.
He said: “In the last few days, there have been rumours, speculations but, we continued to trust in the Lord. I thank God for His faithfulness and I appreciate all Deltans for your prayers and support. The wish of Deltans expressed in the April 2015 elections have been upheld”.
Indeed, God answered Okowa and his supporters prayers with the judgment going in their favour. Without mincing words, Okowa and the PDP family were unsettled until the judgment was delivered.
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