By Onome Oghenetega
The re-election bid of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has received a further boost as the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU), the umbrella body for students of the state origin across Nigerian tertiary institutions have thrown their weight for the governor.
NADESSTU also vowed to mobilise support across the 25 local government areas of the state for Okowa.
It could be recalled that the Isoko ethnic nationality has also endorsed the governor.
They said the welfare of Delta State students across the country have been given priority attention by the state government in the past three and half years, thus the endorsement of the governor for another term.
The students’ body in a statement by its National President of NADESSTU, Samson Agolo, on Saturday said there has be significant infrastructural facelift in the various tertiary institutions owned by the state government, which it claimed, has resulted in the accreditation of new courses in some of the institutions.
The statement asked on all students of voting age to go and collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in order to reciprocate Okowa during the election.
According to it, “I also want to remind us of the benevolence of the administration of Dr. Okowa to the plight of Delta State students including the renovation of all six technical colleges in the state and the numerous efforts to give the state university a facelift which has resulted in the accreditation of several new courses at both the Abraka and Oleh campuses last year.
“The recent flag-off of the 2015/2016, 2016/2017 financial assistance to Delta State students in the Nigerian Law School is another testimony of the goodwill of Governor Okowa towards Delta State students.
“This is coming especially at a period when many states are struggling to pay workers’ salaries, yet, students of Delta State origin have received their 2017/2018 assistance scheme from the state government.
“I therefore urge us all to reciprocate this kindness by supporting the re-election bid of Dr. Okowa for another four-year term for placing the interests of students among top priorities of his administration’s agenda,” Agolo stated.
The students’ union leader further called on students to participate actively during the 2019 general elections, urging them to be law abiding and shun all acts of election violence before, during and after the elections.
