ASABA: As the political temperature rises ahead of the 2027 Delta North Senatorial election, one thing should be clear: elections are not won by volume of rhetoric. They are won by a combination of political credibility, experience, institutional knowledge, proven capacity, grassroots acceptance and, ultimately, the confidence of the electorate.
Viewed from that perspective, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa remains a formidable contender—and, in my considered assessment, the man to beat in Delta North.
This is not a declaration that other aspirants lack credentials. Nor is it an attempt to diminish the political history of Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei or any other prospective contestant. It is simply an argument that when the records are placed side by side, Okowa begins the contest with an unusually strong political résumé.
THE ADVANTAGE OF EXPERIENCE
Okowa is not approaching the Senate as a political novice.
He has served at the local government level, occupied positions in the Delta State Executive Council, represented Delta North in the Senate and subsequently served two terms as Governor of Delta State.
That trajectory matters.
A senator is not merely a politician who occupies a seat in Abuja. The office requires an understanding of legislation, parliamentary procedure, federal institutions, budgeting, intergovernmental relations, constituency representation and the intricate political processes through which national decisions are made.
Okowa has experienced these processes from more than one direction.
He has sat in the Senate. He has participated in the executive branch. He has governed a state. He has dealt with federal institutions. He has interacted with local governments, communities, development partners and the private sector.
That institutional experience gives him an advantage that cannot simply be acquired through campaign speeches.
HE KNOWS WHAT THE SENATE MEANS
There is also a practical advantage in returning to an institution one has previously served in.
Okowa was elected Senator for Delta North in 2011 and served in the National Assembly before becoming governor in 2015. He therefore understands the difference between making promises outside government and actually working within government.
He knows that effective senatorial representation involves much more than sponsoring motions or appearing at political gatherings. It involves legislation, oversight, committee work, constituency engagement, intervention projects and the ability to navigate the federal bureaucracy.
That experience should count for something.
Indeed, if the argument is that Delta North needs effective representation at the centre, then previous experience in the Senate is not a liability. It is an asset.
GOVERNING DELTA IS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF TEST
There is another dimension to Okowa’s record that cannot reasonably be ignored.
Between 2015 and 2023, he was not merely representing one senatorial district. He was responsible for the administration of the entire Delta State.
That was a much broader test of leadership.
His administration undertook major infrastructure projects, particularly in road construction and rehabilitation; invested in education and tertiary institutions; established institutions including Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, University of Delta, Agbor and the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, now The University of Southern Delta; and pursued youth-focused initiatives such as the Graduate Employment Enhancement Training (GEET) programme amongst others.
Whether one approves of every policy of the Okowa administration is a legitimate matter for debate. No administration should be beyond scrutiny.
But scrutiny is different from denial.
A fair assessment must acknowledge both the achievements and the shortcomings of an administration.
And when that assessment is undertaken objectively, it becomes difficult to argue that Okowa does not possess a substantial record of public service.
RECORDS, NOT LABELS
Politics sometimes reduces complex questions of governance to catchy labels.
Okowa was variously described by supporters as the “Road Master” and “Ekwueme.” Such descriptions are political branding and should not, by themselves, determine the judgment of voters.
The proper question is more fundamental:
What did the administration actually accomplish?
That is where evidence becomes important.
Were roads constructed? Were institutions established? Were programmes implemented? Did communities receive interventions? Were young people trained or supported? Were new investments attracted? Were there failures and controversies?
These questions should be answered from records rather than campaign rhetoric.
And this principle should apply equally to every candidate.
If someone believes Okowa performed poorly as senator, governor or both, the appropriate response is not merely to repeat the assertion. Produce the evidence. Identify the legislative failures. Identify the constituency failures. Identify the projects that were promised but not delivered. Show the figures.
That is how mature political debate should work.
OCHEI’S RECORD SHOULD ALSO BE RESPECTED
This argument does not require us to dismiss Victor Ochei.
Ochei is a former member and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. He represented Aniocha North and occupied one of the most influential legislative positions in the state.
That is a legitimate political record and deserves respect.
But there is a distinction between acknowledging a person’s political credentials and concluding that the credentials are equivalent.
The Delta North electorate will ultimately compare the totality of each aspirant’s experience.
And here Okowa’s political résumé is difficult to overlook: local government experience, state executive experience, four years in the Senate and eight years as governor.
That combination is rare.
BUT EXPERIENCE ALONE DOES NOT GUARANTEE VICTORY
It would nevertheless be politically naïve to suggest that Okowa’s experience automatically guarantees victory.
It does not.
Elections are won by voters.
Past achievements do not automatically translate into future votes. Former office holders must still persuade the electorate that their experience remains relevant and that they deserve another opportunity to serve.
Okowa therefore has a responsibility to explain, clearly and convincingly, why he wants to return to the Senate, what he intends to accomplish and how his second opportunity would be different from his first.
He must also confront legitimate questions about his eight years in office.
That is what democracy demands.
But equally, those questioning him must be prepared to subject their own records to the same scrutiny.
DELTA NORTH DESERVES A SERIOUS CONTEST
The Delta North Senatorial District is too important for its 2027 election to degenerate into personality warfare.
The district needs a representative capable of articulating its interests within the Nigerian federation.
It needs someone who understands the peculiarities of Delta North, but who can also operate effectively within the wider national political environment.
It needs someone capable of legislative engagement, federal lobbying, oversight and constituency development.
Above all, it needs someone whose experience can be translated into effective representation.
That is why I consider Okowa a formidable candidate.
He has been tested at several levels of government.
He has occupied the Senate.
He has governed a state for eight years.
He has been involved in policymaking and administration for decades.
His record can be examined, challenged and debated.
But it cannot honestly be wished away.
LET THE RECORDS SPEAK
The coming election should therefore not be reduced to who can shout the loudest or produce the most colourful political rhetoric.
Let every aspirant publish his record.
Let every candidate explain what he has achieved, what he intends to achieve and why Delta North should entrust him with its mandate.
Let voters examine the records.
Let them compare experience, competence, integrity, capacity and vision.
Let them also examine the criticisms and controversies surrounding every candidate.
That is how democracy becomes meaningful.
As things stand, however, Okowa enters the race with an exceptionally strong combination of legislative and executive experience.
Whether that advantage will ultimately translate into victory is for the people of Delta North to decide.
But if the question is who presently has the political experience, institutional familiarity and governmental record to make him the candidate to beat, my answer is unequivocal:
No doubt, Ifeanyi Okowa is the man to beat in Delta North.
Frank Odion Apokwu, DSC, LLB, FNIM, FSM, FIMC, CMC, is a
Public Affairs Analyst and Inclusive Development Advocate. He writes from Asaba.
