Preceded by Emmanuel Uduaghan Nationality Nigerian Residence Asaba, Nigeria Constituency Delta North Party People's Democratic Party | Succeeded by Peter Nwaoboshi Education University of Ibadan Preceded by Patrick Osakwe Name Arthur Ifeanyi | |
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Born 8 July 1959 (age 64)
Owa-Alero, Delta State, Nigeria ( 1959-07-08 ) Political party Peoples Democratic Party Children Marilyn Okowa, Mildred Okowa | ||
Arthur Okowa Ifeanyi (born 8 July 1959) is a Nigerian politician who is the incumbent Governor of Delta State. He was inaugurated as Governor on 29 May 2015 after winning the state elections conducted in April 2015. Before his Governorship, he was elected Senator for Delta North, in Delta State, Nigeria, in the April 2011 national elections. He ran on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He is an Ika from Owa-Alero in Delta State, Nigeria. He is also the first person from Anioma to clinch the governorship position of Delta State.
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Background
Okowa was born at Owa-Alero in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State. He attended Edo College, Benin City (1970–1976), then went on to the University of Ibadan where he studied Medicine and Surgery, graduating in 1981 with an MBBS degree. After leaving the National Youth Service Corps, he worked with the Bendel State Hospitals Management Board as a Medical Officer. He entered private practice as Director, Victory Medical Centre, Igbanke in 1986.
Political career
Okowa became Secretary to the Ika Local Government and then Chairman of the Ika North-East Local Government Council (1991–1993). He was Delta North Coordinator of the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM). He joined the PDP in 1998, and assisted in Governor James Ibori's campaign in 1998/1999. He served as a Commissioner in the Delta State government for Agriculture and Natural Resources (July 1999 – April 2001), Water Resources Development (April 2001 – May 2003) and Health (September 2003 – October 2006).
Okowa resigned to contest in the 2007 PDP primaries for Governor of Delta State, but did not succeed. In June 2007, Ifeanyi was appointed Secretary to the Delta state Government.
Ifeanyi was elected Delta North Senatorial candidate in the January 2011 PDP primaries with 942 votes, but the result was challenged by party leaders who favoured Marian Amaka Alli as candidate. He was re-elected in a rerun where he scored 1,446 votes, against 108 votes for Dr. Maryam Alli. In the April 2011 election for the Delta North Senatorial seat, Ifeanyi won 98,140 votes, ahead of runner up Prince Ned Munir Nwoko of the Democratic People's Party, who won 67,985 votes. It was reported that there was still tension regarding the election in January 2013. Ifeanyi finally clinched the ticket for the gubernatorial election in 2015 under the PDP with 406 votes on 8 December 2014. He won the Delta State Gubernatorial elections 2015 in April 2015 with 724,680 votes. He was inaugurated as Governor on 29 May 2015 and have since then resumed active duties.