Ifeanyi Okowa

About Ifeanyi Okowa

Ifeanyi Okowa governed Delta State for eight years. From May 2015 to May 2023, he shaped policy across Nigeria's oil-rich region. He was the first person from Delta North—from the Ika ethnic group—to reach the governor's office.

He was born on July 8, 1959, in Owa-Alero. His path to politics began with medicine. Okowa graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1981 with a medical degree, then worked as a medical officer for several years before entering public service.

Local politics came first. By 1999, Okowa had built enough influence to join Governor James Ibori's cabinet. He served in this role until 2006, when he stepped away from state government.

A primary bid for governor failed in his next attempt. Okowa did not abandon politics. Instead, he returned to the Delta State cabinet under Emmanuel Uduaghan, who had previously been his political opponent.

In 2011, Okowa moved to the national stage. He ran for Senator representing Delta North and won. Four years in the Senate gave him a platform on a wider scale.

2015 brought his breakthrough moment. Okowa ran for governor and won by a wide margin. His victory broke new political ground in the state.

He repeated this success in 2019. Another strong electoral victory gave him a second term. By the end of his second term in 2023, he had spent eight consecutive years as Delta's chief executive.

After leaving office, Okowa stepped into the national spotlight once more. The People's Democratic Party selected him as vice presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election. He ran alongside Atiku Abubakar as the party's presidential candidate. This move reflected his rising prominence in Nigerian politics.