Dr. Arthur Ifeanyichukwu Okowa

Dr. Arthur Ifeanyichukwu Okowa is a Nigerian medical doctor turned politician who served two terms as Governor of Delta State from 29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023 on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform and was the PDP's Vice-Presidential candidate in the 25 February 2023 presidential election, running with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on a ticket that finished second to the APC ticket of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima. Born in 1959 at Owa-Alero in present-day Delta State and educated at Edo College, Benin City (SSCE, 1976) and the University of Ibadan (MBBS, Medicine and Surgery, 1981), he practised medicine for several years before entering politics in 1991 as Secretary and then pioneer Executive Chairman of the newly-created Ika North East Local Government Area (1991-1993), later serving as a Commissioner in successive Delta State cabinets under Governors James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan (1999-2010), as Secretary to the State Government, and as Senator for Delta North in the 7th National Assembly (2011-2015) where he chaired the Senate Committee on Health. As governor he campaigned on and implemented the 'SMART' agenda (Strategic wealth creation projects, Meaningful peace-building, Agricultural reforms, Relevant health and education policies, Transformed environment). Following his handover to PDP successor Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on 29 May 2023, Okowa became the subject of an active Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pre-charge investigation that escalated dramatically on Monday 4 November 2024 when operatives of the commission arrested him at the EFCC Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate after he reported there on the agency's invitation. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale publicly confirmed the arrest. The headline allegation is the alleged diversion of approximately N1.3 trillion of 13% oil-derivation funds paid by the Federation Account to Delta State between 2015 and 2023, together with a separate alleged N40 billion used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (reported as an approximately 8% equity stake), and alleged unaccounted diversion of state funds to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba. After several days in EFCC custody (during which he reportedly spent at least two nights at the agency's Port Harcourt facility), Okowa was granted administrative bail on approximately 8-12 November 2024 on conditions that included depositing his international passport with the commission, with reports of further freezing of bank accounts pending the conclusion of investigations. The EFCC investigation built on a predicate June 2023 petition by Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) convener Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, who had alleged that Okowa misappropriated between N1 trillion and N1.760 trillion of Delta's 13% derivation proceeds, channelling the funds through Premium Trust Bank and thirteen companies linked to him — allegations that Premium Trust Bank publicly rejected, insisting that neither Okowa nor any of his associates were shareholders or directors, directly or indirectly. The EFCC subsequently detained Delta State Accountant-General Mrs. Joy Enwa together with the former Director of Finance and Administration and the Director of Administration at the Asaba Government House on 26 December 2024, and again summoned the same officials in January 2025 for further questioning. The PDP described the arrest as a political witch-hunt and persecution; the New National Democratic Coalition (NDC) called it 'shocking but unsurprising'. On 23 April 2025 Okowa, together with Governor Oborevwori and the bulk of the Delta PDP, announced defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was formally received into the ruling party at a ceremony at the Cenotaph, Asaba on 28 April 2025 attended by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Hope Uzodimma. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the defection as a political tsunami. On 23 October 2025 the EFCC, through Director of Legal and Prosecution Sylvanus Tahir, publicly insisted that Okowa's APC membership would not shield him from continued investigation. Throughout, Okowa and his media team (former Chief Press Secretary Olisa Ifeajika; senior aide Sir Mike Okeme) have on the record characterised every allegation as 'puerile and preposterous', 'malicious and politically-motivated', 'laughable and totally false', and 'baseless', insisting that the former governor used Delta's resources to develop the state and that the arithmetic of the N1.3 trillion figure is impossible. Okowa has publicly stated that he is 'not afraid of being investigated' and that 'petitions can be written by anybody, but whatever petitions are written, the right of investigation is with the EFCC. So, there are no fears concerning that at all.' In May 2026 the APC cleared him to contest the Delta North senatorial primary for the 2027 general election alongside former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, sparking widespread civic-society criticism that the ruling party was offering political shelter to politicians under active anti-graft probe. As at 21 May 2026 no formal charge has been filed against Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in any court and no suit number, arraignment, plea or bail proceeding exists; the matter remains squarely at the EFCC pre-charge investigation stage.