Chris Iyovwaye declaration.

International Industrialist and Cleric, Chris Iyovwaye, Expresses Intention to Govern Delta through Consolidation on SMART Plus Agenda

By Patrick Ochei

Renowned businessman and industrialist, Engr. Dcn. Chris Iyovwaye is one of Delta born illustrious politicians gunning to succeed Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as Governor of the oil rich Delta State. He is from the Urhobo extraction of the State, where the Governorship is expected to shift to; he was hardly known within the political terrain before now, but investigations had it that he had always been an undercurrent waiting for the appropriate time to explode.

Deacon Iyovwaye, having earlier picked the Governorship Expression of Interest Form of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, has today, Thursday 7th April, 2022, was at the PDP State Secretariat in Asaba, where he expressed his intention to govern the State and subsequently declared his interest to run the race of becoming the Governor in 2023.

Earlier in the day, the conference hall of the PDP was almost filled to the brim before 10am, the time slated for the declaration and press conference as a follow up. His arrival was simple but heralded by a band of music which ushered him in to address the Party faithful.

Indeed, Chris Iyovwaye in spite of his intimidating profile, appears simple, exuding a relaxed mien with class.

A businessman, technocrat, industrialist, politician and servant of God, he is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Wellmann Group of Companies. It was evident that he grew his business from zero capital to a profitable venture with capacity to handle assets worth millions of dollars in value, Iyovwaye a native of Aghalokpe in Okpe local government area explains.

Just like his business growth, his formative stages in life were equally simple starting from the RCM School 1, from where he later attended Urhobo College Effurun. He graduated with a Second Class Honours from the University of Benin and his early work experiences were an Auxiliary Nurse at the Avenue Specialist Hospital and then Quality Control Inspector at the Delta Glass Company in Warri and Ughelli respectively.

As a smart politician, he has decided to anchor his manifesto on the performances of the incumbent Governor’s SMART Agenda, whereas he has christened his own “SMART Plus Agenda”.

Carefully selecting his areas of leadership focus, Iyovwaye has said he would unleash his innovative prowess by anchoring his Agenda on; Security, Energy, Education, Industrialisation and Healthcare.

As a smart and dynamic young politician again, he quickly recognised the far-reaching performances of the former Governors before the current one – Chief James Ibori and Dr.

Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, while extensively giving accolades to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for the impeccable smart accomplishments of his administration.

According to him, “I have what it takes to govern Delta from this level to the next positive level. As a business figure in the Marine sector, I have enormous capacity to contribute my own quota towards growing and developing Delta State into an enviable world class economy.

“I have adopted the SMART Agenda of Governor Okowa into the SMART Plus Agenda because of the far-reaching intricate ingredients of real-time development inbeded in it. My own SMART Plus Agenda will be anchored on cutting edge technology to stop capital flight while harnessing the human and material resources of the State to build industries geared towards developing a solid economy for the State.

“We have made our mark in job creation and so, our government will encourage youth employment in a way that their capacities are developed to stand on their own to contribute meaningfully to the system”, Iyovwaye said.

Enthused by his brilliant submissions, the State Chairman of PDP, Olorogun (Barr) Kingsley Esiso described Iyovwaye as a good party man. He said only a good party man would come to inform his Party Executive of his intention to run for an office.

He commended the Governorship Aspirant for recognising the past Governors and the present one for their visible and well acknowledged performances as Governors.

He specifically eulogized Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as one Governor who has turned his State into a construction site, insisting that anybody who is taking over from him must build on the solid legacies he is leaving behind.

Esiso profoundly appreciated Deacon Iyovwaye for his SMART Plus Agenda of taking Delta State to the next positive level, acknowledging the fact that the dynamic politician has the credentials to bring his vision into fruition.

He however, affirmed that the job of the Party Executive is primarily to give equal opportunities to all members to excel in their ambitions to become the party’s candidates.

His words, “We cannot support any Aspirant, because we cannot give what we don’t have. The job of aspirants at this stage is to vigorously pursue their campaigns personally with delegates.

“We have 270 wards in the State, and for every ward we have delegates there. You must do everything to canvass and win the votes of delegates ahead of the Party’s Primaries. It’s when you have emerged as a candidate that we can now come out as party leaders to support you as our candidate. This time, you are our responsibility being a candidate, but not when you are an Aspirant. At that stage, you are on your own with the delegates”, Esiso posited.

The entrance of Dcn Chris Iyovwaye into the race has swelled the number of governorship aspirants under the platform of the state ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Prior to the public declaration of Iyovwaye, there has been Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi, David Edevbie, Peter Mrakpor, Sheriff Oborevwori, Senator James Manager, Kingsley Otuaro, Ejaife Odebala, Fred Majemite, Abel Esievo and Braduce Angozi who have obtained their nomination forms.

The intrigues with party politics leading to primary elections are quite understood by the businessman cum politician, Deacon Chris Iyovwaye. He has followers who have enormous confidence in him and he must do everything possible to clinch the party’s ticket in order to fulfill his ambition of leading the State as Governor.

The ebullient Iyovwaye even works ahead of time, just as he earlier told the Party Chairman that in his database of followers, he had well over 22,000 Deltans who don’t belong to any political party but had faith in him and could go wherever he goes. These category of electorates he has also decided to move them into the PDP at a convenient date the party may give to gather them to join the family.