DELTA State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has insisted that his predecessor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, never interfered in his decisions and choices since he assumed office.
Oborevwori stated this in reaction to insinuations that the former governor was influencing his decisions during the thanksgiving service held at the Living Faith Church, Ibusa Road, Asaba, in honour of his first anniversary in office.
Oborevwori, while commending Okowa and his wife, Edith, for their wise counsel, also appreciated the residents for their support for his administration in the last one year, noting that the 2022 PDP governorship primary election was the most keenly contested in the state’s history, acknowledging that he would not have been elected without God’s divine touch.
“From the pool of eminently qualified aspirants and in what was clearly the most contested governorship primaries in the history of Delta, I emerged winner by a wide margin. But, as I have always said, my emergence as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 general election was a product of divine choice.
“For, as the scriptures eloquently testify, the race is not for the swift, nor the battle for the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding; nor yet favour of men of skill, but time and chance happened to them all.
“The above scripture best captured my emergence and enthronement as governor of Delta,” he said.
He recalled that his victories at the primaries and general election were greeted with avalanches of litigations, threatening to subvert God’s will,adding that the state and Nigeria were shocked when he disclosed that he contended with 38 different lawsuits from persons determined to stop him.
“But in all, God saw me through. Looking back, I am reminded of Psalm 34:19, which says that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
“This scripture describes the trials and temptations that I faced while the court cases lasted till January19,” he said.
On his achievements within one year, Oborevwori said his administration had turned the state into a huge construction site with 317 projects across the state, saying: “Out of the 317 road projects, 76 of them, spanning 171.49 kilometres, and 85.30 kilometres length of drains, were initiated by my administration in the last one year.
“A few days from now, we shall commence the inauguration of some of these roads and other projects in other sectors for the world to see what we have accomplished in the last one year, by the grace of God.
“The past year has been one of trials and triumphs, tests and testimonies, adversity and hope. Through it all, God has been very faithful.
“Recently, God also showed Himself strong in my family by giving us a mighty deliverance in a car accident. Indeed, I owe Him a debt of gratitude for His unfailing love, goodness, protection and sustaining grace.”
The governor assured the people of his commitment to advancing the state in all aspects of socio-economic development.
In his sermon, the state Mission Overseer of Living Faith Church, Pastor Adekunle Shiyanbade, said the only way up was by giving regular thanks to God, recalling that King David excelled because he was a pathfinder in thanksgiving, while God dethroned King Nebuchadnezzar because he ascribed his victories to himself.
He commended the governor for deciding to thank God as his administration clocks one year, urging him not to relent in maintaining a cordial relationship with God.
The service was attended by Oborevwori and his wife, Tobore; his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, and his wife, Ezinne Catherine, Okowa and his wife, Edith, a former governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, among other dignitaries.
