From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Contrary to a rumour which made the rounds last week that one of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) G-5 Governors, Okezie Ikpeazu, has reconciled with the national leadership of the party, the governor was conspicuously absent at the presidential rally of the PDP in Umuahia on Saturday, therefore putting paid to the rumour.
Ikpeazu’s absence may not be unconnected with the decision of the G-5 governors not to support the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar until Iyorchia Ayu steps down as national chairman of the party.
However, members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party, Chairman PDP BoT, Adolphus Wabara, Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, (chairman Atiku/Okowa PCC South East), National chairman of the PDP, Sen Ayu, Deputy Governor of the state, Ude Oko Chukwu, the Speaker Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Chinedum Orji and other notable personalities in the state were in attendance.
Some officials of the state government were equally absent from the rally, giving an indication that the rift between the national leadership of the party and the aggrieved G5 governors would not end soonest.
Unlike what happened Gov Nyesome Wike of Rivers State handed the former Guber candidate of the party, late Prof Uche Ikonne the flag, it was however the national chairman who handed the flag to the new governorship candidate, Okey Ahiwe, this time around.
Speaking at the event, Atiku Abubakar who claimed that Nigerians were better off under the PDP disclosed that he has set aside $ 10 billion for the development of the South East region.
On some of the requests made by the party in the state to include the reactivation of two line railway lines from Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu-Maidugri, rehabilitation of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road, Umuahia-Ohafia-Arochukwu-Akwa Ibom, Ikot Ekpene-Aba-Port Harcourt roads, Enyimba Economic Hub, Abia Dry Port, and among other demands, Atiku said, “PDP is going to win, therefore, it is better that you are on a winning team than on a ticket that cannot take you anywhere.
“I therefore will appeal to you not to be distracted by other political parties who may be playing the either religious or ethnic card.
“In PDP, we don’t play ethnic cards, we play a Nigerian card; a card that will bring everybody on board and a card that will give the people from every part of the country regardless of their region or religion a sense of belonging.
“I appeal to Abia people to make sure that you remain in the PDP.
“My vice president has announced that we are going to set aside $ 10 billion to make sure that we support businesses, particularly in this part of the country (South East).”
The state chairman of the party, Asiforo Allwell Okere assured that the PDP in the state would deliver all the candidates of the party in the state, including the president and his Vice come February 25 and March 11 Presidential and governorship and House of Assembly Elections.
The chairman of the Atiku/Okowa campaign in the South East who is the immediate past governor of the state, Sen Theodore Ahamefule Orji, described Atiku Abubakar as a marketable product that doesn’t need too much marketing.
Orji who reminded the people of Abia and indeed the Igbo race of the role Atiku placed for the people of the South East as a Customs officer, assured that Atiku when elected the president would boost the economy of the South East.
In his speech, the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara who described Atiku as a Messiah and unifier that Nigeria has been waiting for, assured that Atiku would release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who is a Prince of Afaraukwu Community in Umuahia, within the 100 days he became the president and would tackle the perennial flooding in the country.
He lamented that the PDP lost the 2015 election based on emotions.
The governorship candidate of the party in the state, Okey Ahiwe assured that the party is more united and stronger to deliver in the 2023 general elections, assuring that he was to step on the development instituted by the present government in the state to ensure that Abians enjoy the best of democratic dividend.