Gov Okowa explains why Jonathan was absent at PDP convention

Former President Goodluck Jonathan couldn't make the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention which was wrapped up on the weekend of October 30-31, because he had prior engagements outside of Nigeria's shores, according to Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Not a few eyebrows were raised over Jonathan's absence during the Abuja convention.

Speaking during a ChannelsTV Politics Today programme, Okowa explained that Jonathan was duly invited for the convention but was unavoidably absent because of prior engagements outside the country.

He added that the PDP remains cohesive and united, adding that "we are working together with the leaders and founders of the party, and we agreed that we will continue to keep ourselves together for the huge task ahead."

On why he thinks the PDP will defeat the APC to regain the presidency throne in 2023, Okowa said: "We are not competing with them anymore because looking through the years of the PDP and that of the APC of about six years plus, the difference is clear; Nigerians are able to see for themselves.

"Though things were very difficult, we were able to build a foundation during Obasanjo’s administration. The reverse is the case in this present administration in such a manner that is not good for our nation.

"The level of insecurity, the economy today, the naira-to-dollar situation, indeed, there are too many issues.

"We are getting to a stage now where there is shortage of food for the middle class, not to talk of the low class.

"The high level of unemployment has become unbearable. Farmers cannot even access their farms.

"We have gotten it all wrong in this current administration, and I believe that Nigerians know the truth.

"Nigerians know that PDP will do a lot better than APC; there is no competition, no comparing, it is quite clear that we are not moving in the right direction under the APC government."

There have been insinuations that Jonathan, who governed Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, intends to switch camps to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and that he is being courted by the APC.

He has neither debunked nor confirmed the grapevine stories.

Jonathan lost the 2015 presidential election to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.