In a candid statement, Senator Abba Moro, representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, has expressed strong opinions regarding the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) performance in the 2023 presidential election. Senator Moro attributed the party's loss to the decision to select Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
During an interview on Channels Television's "Politics Today," Senator Moro described the choice of Okowa as a "serious mistake" and a "political miscalculation." He argued that the PDP could have secured victory had a different candidate been chosen from the South. The Senator emphasized that Okowa's inability to deliver his home state of Delta to the PDP during the presidential election was a significant setback.
"Given what we know now, with the hindsight that we have, some of us believe the party would have won the election if other candidates, other than Okowa, had been picked as the vice-presidential candidate," Senator Moro stated. He further criticized Okowa's lack of commitment to the party, citing his recent defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as evidence of his divided loyalties.
The Senator's remarks come amidst broader discussions within the PDP about the strategic decisions that shaped the 2023 election outcome. Okowa himself has publicly expressed regret over his role in the election, acknowledging that his candidacy went against the sentiments of his political base in Delta State.