The Okerenkoko boat accident, which reportedly claimed the lives of two of its supporters, has been mourned by the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the state's All Progressives Congress (APC), and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the APC's governorship candidate and deputy senate president. Several other PDP supporters are either missing or hospitalised.
Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza, state publicity secretary for the Delta PDP and deputy director of media and publicity for the Delta State Campaign Council, released a statement in which he expressed his condolences.
It reads, “Delta PDP is shocked and deeply saddened at the reports of a fatal boat mishap at Okerenkoko, Warri South-West Local Government Area, involving supporters of the Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC, which has claimed the lives of two supporters, with some others, either missing or hospitalized, as a result of serious injuries sustained in the aftermath of the accident.
“We commiserate with the Deputy Senate President and Delta APC Gubernatorial Candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the entire APC family in the state, and most especially the families of those whose lives were lost and those receiving treatment from injuries sustained during the mishap, which occurred as they returned from the APC rally in Okerenkoko, Warri South-West Local Government Area, on Tuesday, 20th December 2022.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, even as we pray that the search for the missing persons by the authorities will yield positive results and they will soon be reunited with their friends, families, and loved ones.
“Every Delta life matters to us, and the loss or misadventure of any Deltan, irrespective of political, cultural, and other diverse considerations, is our collective loss.
We pray the good Lord grants the families of the deceased the fortitude to bear their losses while we still trust and believe that God Almighty will cause his light to shine and illuminate the way for the success of the search and rescue.
Please accept our deep, sincere, and profound condolences.”