From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A frontline politician and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Sampson Orji (SCUORJ) has described as controversial the Abia governorship ticket as announced by the PDP.
Speaking in Umuahia while declaring for the governorship seat at the party Secretariat, Orji said the only remedy to the anomaly was for the party to conduct credible, free and fair primaries.
“A very serious controversy has been steered by the zoning of the governorship ticket to Abia North and Central at the same time.
“However, that controversy can be taken care of if the party conducts a credible, free and fair primaries, to allow people make their choice”.
Orji, a former lawmaker said the PDP could not afford the lose the state should the right thing not be done.
He said if he becomes the governor of the state, he would be guided by three factors, his person, the party, as well as the state and its governance.
Orji who said if the party accepts his candidacy, victory would be a foregoing conclusion in the election, said he would govern the state with four things in mind.
First he said would do away with the toga of mystery and demystify the office of the governor so that Abians would have unfiltered access to their governor.
He equally said he was going to establish an elders council that would be made up of past governors, deputy governors, presidents of the Senate from the state, among others to serve on advisory capacity.
His third agenda, he said, would be to bring back the lost glory of the civil service in the state through a well thought out development programme, and then tackle the road infrastructure in the state.
“I am a loyal party member, I know I will win under a free and fair primaries. I am in the race to win, but not at all costs, because I have my businesses to run.”
Chairman of the party in the state, Asiforo Okere commended Orji for the civil approach he adopted in seeking for the office of the governor.
He promised a level playing field for all the aspirants during the primaries.