• Surprise awaits APC, says Akpederin
• Insists Deltans living in squalor, deprivation on all fronts

Prominent Delta lawyer, Kingsley Akpederin, on Monday said Chris Iyovwaye’s quest for the Government House Asaba is to usher Delta State into a glorious dawn.

‘’We thank God that Deltans now have the opportunity to get a Governor that would drastically move from the trajectory of the recent past. Deltans with Chris Iyovwaye will now know how a state government can get back their ailing or dead industries so jobs would be surplus. Deltans would soon generate and distribute their own electricity that is affordable. And with Chris Iyovwaye, the state would be an interested player in securing every part of the state with a vibrant Forest Guard (among other security plans) that protects all forests and farmlands of the state including all areas which appear to be ungoverned’’.

He also described the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), governorship candidate as the surprise package of the 2027 elections in Delta State

‘’In 2023, many political pundits dismissed Peter Obi. They labeled his support as just social media based. Now, there is hardly any move that the ruling party makes today that is not influenced by the pole position of Peter Obi. Many Deltans do not know Deacon Chris Iyovwaye. But those around the Peter Obi Movement otherwise known as the Obidient Movement have known him from 2023 as a bulwark in Delta State in the struggle to do things differently in Nigeria led by Peter Obi. That was why without so much noise, he became the front runner in the contest for the governorship ticket of the platform of Peter Obi and associates. In the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), he is known all over Nigeria. Whoever therefore does not take the candidacy of Deacon Chris Iyovwaye seriously should better think again and prepare to realign with him as he would soon prove to be the surprise package of the 2027 Elections in Delta State’’

Akpederin told journalists in Asaba that the masses under a free and fair election will reject the ruling party in Delta State.

‘’Deacon Chris Iyovwaye and his teaming supporters will create an upset in the coming elections in Delta State. As Omo Agege, Victor Ochie, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Austin Orette, and several other progressive political leaders stand firmly with Deacon Chris, who is positioned to mobilize the vast majority of the youths and women of the state, he is surely the candidate to beat in the coming elections in Delta State. Some analysts, especially of the ruling party, limit themselves to the past. They are oblivious of the fact that many Deltans have been regretting the absence of a strong candidate that represents a departure from how things have been done in Delta State’’.

He said the majority of the people are groaning under the heavy burden of poverty.

‘’How can the ultimate performance or report card of the government of a state that has allocations from the Federation Account that is four times what most other states receive, be roads and a few bridges? How can a state whose internally generated revenue is thrice or more of most other states pay the same minimum wage to its workers as other states when the cost of living in Delta State is far higher than that of most other states?

According to Ajpederin, the people of Delta State have appeared like strangers in their own land for a long time now.

‘’The National leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress did not find it difficult to concur with the overwhelming decision of the membership of the party in Delta State that voted nearly one way for Deacon Chris Iyovwaye to be the gubernatorial flag bearer of the party in Delta State. This is because Deacon Chris has been prepared to lead the Delta people’s takeover of their state. For a long time now, the people of Delta State have appeared like strangers in their own land. Poverty has made the vast majority of the people of Delta State to be low in confidence in speaking about the affairs of their state. But now, with Deacon Chris, many people would soon come out of the trenches to demand to take their state back. Now that the good people of Delta State have this kind of a selfless but fully prepared personality to serve them, their spirit rises for action. For how prepared Deacon Chris is, in a few weeks, most Deltans will start feeling the fresh air that this specially incubated and prepared personality will bring’’.

Akpederin lamented the cost of servicing numerous godfathers and political old horses.

‘’Deacon Chris Iyovwaye is fully prepared for the task of resetting Delta State. He is prepared to take the state from the firm grip of numerous godfathers and political old horses that are serviced with a huge chunk of what the state gets from both Federation Account Allocation and internally generated revenue. He is prepared to get the wealth of Delta State for the benefit of the people by industrializing the state and building infrastructure that would support agriculture, manufacturing and the state economy generally. We cannot be a rich state and yet have the people living in squalor and deprivation on all fronts’’.