Arthur Okowa Ifeanyi

Sen. Dr.
Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa
Governor of Delta State
Assumed office
29 May 2015
Preceded by Emmanuel Uduaghan
Senator for Delta North
In office
May 2011 – 29 May 2015
Preceded by Patrick Osakwe
Succeeded by Peter Nwaoboshi
Constituency Delta North
Personal details
Born (1959-07-08) 8 July 1959
Owa-Alero, Delta State, Nigeria
Nationality Nigerian
Political party Peoples Democratic Party
Residence Asaba, Delta State
Alma mater University of Ibadan
Profession Politician, Medical Doctor
Religion Christianity

Arthur Okowa Ifeanyi (born 8 July 1959) is the incumbent Governor of Delta State. He was inaugurated as Governor on 29 May 2015 after winning the state elections conducted in April 2015. Before his Governorship, he was elected Senator for Delta North, in Delta State, Nigeria, in the April 2011 national elections. He ran on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He is an Ika from Owa-Alero in Delta State, Nigeria. He is also the first person from Anioma to clinch the governorship position of Delta State.

Background

Okowa was born at Owa-Alero in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State. He attended Edo College, Benin City (1970–1976), then went on to the University of Ibadan where he studied Medicine and Surgery, graduating in 1981 with an MBBS degree. After leaving the National Youth Service Corps, he worked with the Bendel State Hospitals Management Board as a Medical Officer. He entered private practice as Director, Victory Medical Centre, Igbanke in 1986.[1]

Political career

Okowa became Secretary to the Ika Local Government and then Chairman of the Ika North-East Local Government Council (1991–1993). He was Delta North Coordinator of the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM). He joined the PDP in 1998, and assisted in Governor James Ibori's campaign in 1998/1999. He served as a Commissioner in the Delta State government for Agriculture and Natural Resources (July 1999 – April 2001), Water Resources Development (April 2001 – May 2003) and Health (September 2003 – October 2006).[1]

Okowa resigned to contest in the 2007 PDP primaries for Governor of Delta State, but did not succeed.[1] In June 2007, Ifeanyi was appointed Secretary to the Delta state Government.[2]

Ifeanyi was elected Delta North Senatorial candidate in the January 2011 PDP primaries with 942 votes, but the result was challenged by party leaders who favoured Marian Amaka Alli as candidate.[3] He was re-elected in a rerun where he scored 1,446 votes, against 108 votes for Dr. Maryam Alli.[4] In the April 2011 election for the Delta North Senatorial seat, Ifeanyi won 98,140 votes, ahead of runner up Prince Ned Munir Nwoko of the Democratic People's Party, who won 67,985 votes.[5] It was reported that there was still tension regarding the election in January 2013.[6] Ifeanyi finally clinched the ticket for the gubernatorial election in 2015 under the PDP with 406 votes on 8 December 2014. [7] He won the Delta State Gubernatorial elections 2015 in April 2015 with 724,680 votes. [8] He was inaugurated as Governor on 29 May 2015 and have since then resumed active duties.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Biography of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa". Okowa for Senate. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "REMARKS BY GOV. UDUAGHAN AS OKOWA BECOMES NEW SSG.". Office of the governor, Delta State. 4 June 2007. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "HOW OKOWA EMERGED DELTA NORTH SENATORIAL CANDIDATE". Daily Sun. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  4. ↑ "Arthur Okowa Wins Delta North Senatorial Primaries Again". HuHu Online. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  5. ↑ "Collated Senate results". INEC. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  6. ↑ "Okowa, Azekwoh Renew Battle for Senate Seat". This Day. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  7. ↑ "Ifeanyi Okowa wins Delta PDP guber ticket". Vanguard. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Ifeanyi Okowa wins Delta Gubernatorial Election". Channels TV. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
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