Ijaw Political Elders Forum, IPEF, has called for the selection of Chief Oluwole Karetimi as the running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag bearer in Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, in the 2015 governorship elections.

The position was taken at a meeting of the forum in Bomadi, weekend, which had in attendance, various political groups such as the Delta State PDP Youth Circuit, Niger Delta Liberty Movement and others, who threw their weight behind Karetimi, who is the Chairman, Bomadi Local Government Area of the state.

The forum, which said that the need to pick a candidate of trust for the exalted office such as the deputy governor of a state informed its choice of Karetimi.

It added that its choice of Karetimi as Senator Okowa’s running mate was informed by the apparent realisation that an Ijaw, for the first time in the history of this political dispensation, will be chosen to occupy the office of the deputy governor of Delta State.

The elders noted that the choice of Karetimi as candidate for Deputy Governor, was a guarantee that they would be truly and duly represented in the political system, and urged the PDP and Senator Okowa not to hesitate in picking him as his running mate.

In a statement by Capt. O. Obriki (Bomadi ), Chief Chamberlain Abeki (Patani), Smart Bonny (Burutu), Chief Couple Oruomoni (Warri South West), the Secretary of the Forum, Mr. James Bekesuoyeibo, President, PDP Youth Circuit, Rawlings Dagidi Andaye and others, the forum passed a vote of confidence on their illustrious son, Karetimi, to represent the image of Ijaw in Senator Okowa’s government, adding that he is “A trusted son of Ijaw with the requisite political experience and capabilities to make the Ijaw nation proud in Senator Okowa’s administration.

“We do not want to regret and bite our fingers at the expiration of Senator Okowa’s government, hence our support for Karetimi. The leadership of PDP should heed our stance on this issue, because the elders made concerted efforts in the search for a suitable running mate across Ijawland before arriving at Karetimi.”